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Consumers really do want a relationship with their banking institution, one based on openness and fairness, says Susan Menke, VP, behavioral economist at Chicago-based Mintel Comperemedia. But people are banking at larger banks primarily for two reasons: convenience and rewards, she says.
Banks' efforts to explain new regulations covering opt-in policies for overdraft protection appear to be working, according to Mintel Comperemedia.
American Banker (August 26, 2010)
After months of banks efforts to explain new opt-in policies for account-overdraft protection, 60% of consumers surveyed last month were aware of pending changes in debit card overdraft services on existing accounts mandated by new federal rules, according to new data from Mintel Comperemedia, which surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults online.
Payments Source (August 24, 2010)
Not only are more card solicitations being sent out, but the majority are once again touting zero percent teaser interest rates, with more than half offering that low rate for new purchases as well as for balances transferred from other cards, and some are even extending the teaser rate period to 16 months or more, according to Mintel Comperemedia.
Consumer Reports (August 19, 2010)
But a July survey by Mintel Comperemedia, a direct marketing consulting firm, says many of the potential negative outcomes from the new credit card regulations have yet to materialize while offers continue to be mailed.
In a poll in July, research firm Mintel Comperemedia found that more than a quarter of consumers had enrolled in such a program and another quarter planned to opt in. The rest of those surveyed said they would not sign up for overdraft. Still, the survey found that many consumers were not familiar with the details of the changes.
The Washington Post (August 17, 2010)
Despite the number of those in favor of online banking in the Mintel study, roughly half of all online users did not want to use their online banking accounts to pay bills. Instead they bypass their banks, going straight to their billing vendors for payments such as utilities and cable.
But a new report from Mintel Comperemedia, a service that studies direct marketing, suggests that banks might not have as much to worry about as they thought. Mintel found that 26% of consumers said they have opted in for their bank's standard overdraft services and another 26% said they planned to do so.
According to a recent Mintel Comperemedia consumer survey, awareness of the new Reg E overdraft legislation is surprisingly high with 60% of online adults aware of the upcoming changes.
According to a recent Mintel Comperemedia consumer survey, awareness of the new Reg E overdraft legislation is surprisingly high with 60% of online adults aware of the upcoming changes.
According to a recent Mintel Comperemedia consumer survey, awareness of the new Reg E overdraft legislation is surprisingly high with 60% of online adults aware of the upcoming changes.
Payments News (August 13, 2010)
Direct-mail offers doubled in the second quarter of this year compared with the same period a year earlier, to about 988 million, according to Mintel, a market-research firm. More than 80% of the offers were for rewards programs, and many of the perks are juicy -- double miles, 5% cash back, even contributions to your IRA.
Yahoo! Finance (August 12, 2010)
According to the recent study conducted by Mintel Comperemedia found that that the percentage of credit card offers with annual fees actually declined during the second quarter of this year when compared to the same time last year.
There's also been little change in rewards programs, which still come with 80 percent of card offers, Mintel found.
Lansing State Journal (August 8, 2010)
Credit-card companies put about 1billion offers in the mail in the second quarter, more than double the 419 million mailed in the same quarter the year before, said Andrew Davidson, senior vice president with Mintel Comperemedia, which tracks direct mailing
The Columbus Dispatch (August 8, 2010)
There's also been little change in rewards programs, which still come with 80 percent of card offers, Mintel found.
The Clarion Ledger (August 7, 2010)
Card issuers are cherry-picking the most creditworthy customers. Mintel, a market-research firm, expects issuers to mail out three to four billion credit-card offers this year, up from two billion in 2009. But with default rates still high, issuers are sending few offers to second-tier customers.
Market research from Mintel Comperemedia in 2009 indicated Americans want more financial knowledge and opportunities to participate in financial education activities -- but the wide variety of financial support services and interactive materials provided by the Internet is not enough.
Direct-mail offers doubled in the second quarter of this year compared with the same period a year earlier, to about 988 million, according to Mintel, a market-research firm. More than 80% of the offers were for rewards programs, and many of the perks are juicy -- double miles, 5% cash back, even contributions to your IRA.
Despite earlier concerns, the CARD Act of 2009 has not led to less appealing credit card offers sent to consumers, according to Mintel Comperemedia, which tracks card offers.
American Banker (August 5, 2010)
The fallout from the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009, most of which went into effect in February, has not produced the expected negative results in terms of less-appealing credit card offers issuers are mailing to consumers, according to Mintel Comperemedia, which tracks card-offer mailings.
Payments Source (August 4, 2010)
Similarly, according to Mintel Comperemedia, teaser rates for balance transfers or purchases dont appear to be disappearing. Fifty-six percent of second-quarter mail offers promoted an introductory interest rate for both balance transfers and purchases, up from 37 percent in the same period a year ago.
The New York Times (August 4, 2010)
"The alternative is an ITA (Invitation-to-apply), which is a card offer sent without any prior screening," Andrew Davidson, senior vice president of Mintel Comperemedia, which tracks direct marketing offers, says in an e-mail.
In fact, annual fees are less common. According to marketing consultant Mintel Comperemedia, 28% of mailed offers in the second quarter had annual fees, down from 33% a year ago.
Detroit Free Press (August 3, 2010)
According to marketing consultant Mintel Comperemedia, 28 percent of mailed offers in the second quarter had annual fees, down from 33 percent a year ago.
The New York Times (August 2, 2010)
It wasn't long ago that we were speculating about the return of annual fees, the disappearance of teaser rates and the watering down of rewards programs, as card issuers attempted to maintain profits in the face of restrictive new regulations," notes Andrew Davidson, senior vice president of Mintel Comperemedia.
Mintel Comperemedia reported large credit card issuers sent 1.1 billion offers for credit cards to American consumers in the second quarter of 2010, more than double the 419 million that were sent in the second quarter of 2009.
Credit Union Times (July 29, 2010)
The number of mailings in the second quarter is expected to increase 136 percent from the year earlier, to 988 million, according to Mintel Comperemedia, a Chicago research firm.
Mintel Comperemedia, a service that provides direct marketing information, has found that 45 per cent of adults with access to the Internet have bypassed their banks' online bill payment service and go directly to the biller's website instead.
Banks are trying to ramp up online usage in offline media, with 40% of direct mail pieces promoting online, according to Mintel Comperemedia.
Consumers aged 25-44 are slightly more likely than their older counterparts to use online banking, with 79% reporting usage, according to Mintel Comperemedia.
Direct Magazine (July 23, 2010)
Mintel Comperemedia, a service that provides direct marketing competitive intelligence, found that 45% of adults with access to the Internet have bypassed their banks' online bill payment service and go directly to the biller's website instead.
Mintel Comperemedia recently reported that direct mail volumes are on the rise, a sign that many businesses are renewing their marketing efforts after the economic recession caused many to focus on customer retention rather than acquisition.
Overnight Prints (July 21, 2010)
In Mintel Comperemedias recent survey, 19% of respondents overall stated that they would be interested in using prepaid cards to pay bills, rather than a banking account.
Apparently credit card and insurance offers plus pitches for TV-Internet-phone packages are to blame, say Mintel Comperemedia researchers.
The Chicago Tribune (July 15, 2010)
Data from Mintel Comperemedia, which tracks card offer mailings, showed that small business owners received, on average, 2.8 mail offers of new credit cards in the mail during the first quarter of 2010, up from 2.3 offers in the fourth quarter of 2009.
Creditcards.com (July 14, 2010)
"This is significant, because if banks were to lose mass affluent customers, it could have a considerable impact on their bottom lines," states Susan Menke, Ph.D., vice president and behavioral economist at Mintel Comperemedia.
And Mintel Comperemedia, a company that tracks credit card offerings by mail, reported a slight uptick in the first quarter of 2010. Its panel of 1,200 small business owners received, on average, 2.8 mail offers of new credit cards in the mail. That's up from 2.3 offers in the fourth quarter of 2009.
Creditcards.com (July 14, 2010)
"One thing is for sure, and that is competition is increasing," said Andrew Davidson, a senior vice president with Mintel Comperemedia, a Chicago research firm that tracks direct mailings.
"This reverses a trend of declining APRs seen in April and May as a result of increasing competition," says Andrew Davidson, senior vice president of Mintel Comperemedia, a Chicago direct-mail research consulting firm. "I suspect it indicates a shift in strategy by a small number of issuers rather than an industry-wide change."
Creditcards.com (June 30, 2010)
Segments of the direct marketing industry are already seeing a rebound. Direct mail volumes grew in the first quarter of 2010, with further growth expected for the rest of this year, said Andrew Davidson, SVP of Mintel Comperemedia, a marketing intelligence firm.
After polling 214 independent life insurance producers, Mintel Comperemedia found that many are tentatively easing their way into the use of social media, rather than aggressively entering the marketplace.
Cyber Insurance News (June 21, 2010)
Direct-mail offers to consumers are up 83% in the first quarter, according to Mintel Comperemedia, a market-research firm. Terms are getting longer, with an estimated 40% of offers during the second quarter promoting an introductory rate for balance transfers of 13 months or longer, up from 20% at the end of last year.
Yahoo! Finance (June 14, 2010)
However, in the first quarter of 2010, according to Mintel, total direct mail volume increased by 16 percent from the last quarter of 2009, jumping to 6 billion pieces from 5.3 billion.
Credit Card Guide (June 11, 2010)
Mintel Comperemedia, a service that provides direct marketing competitive intelligence, recently polled 214 independent life insurance producers. Seventy percent use at least one social media site, but only half report using their accounts for business purposes.
Insurance Networking News (June 11, 2010)
Mintel Comperemedia recently polled 214 independent life insurance producers. Seventy percent use at least one social media site, but only half report using their accounts for business purposes.
Insurance providers are reluctant to fully embrace social media, choosing instead to ease in gradually, according to a survey from Mintel Comperemedia.
Direct Magazine (June 10, 2010)
Researchers in the Chicago office of Mintel Comperemedia, a unit of Mintel International Group Ltd., found that 70% of 214 independent life producers surveyed said they use at least one social media site for business, pleasure or both.
National Underwriter Life & Health (June 10, 2010)
Mintel Comperemedia, a service that provides direct marketing competitive intelligence, is expanding its services to include online advertising tracking.
The credit card industry is one of the main sources behind the rise in overall direct mail, according to a report by Mintel Comperemedia.
Credit card direct-mail solicitations from major issuers increased sharply during the first three months of this year, driven in part by a resurgence in rewards card and balance-transfer offers, according to new data Mintel Comperemedia released this month.
Payments Source (June 4, 2010)
The mix of consumer-facing direct mail has changed considerably from a year ago, with insurance-related mailings leading the pack with 43% of all volume, said Andrew Davidson, SVP of Mintel Comperemedia.
Direct mail is on the rise and the insurance and credit card industries are the strongest drivers of this growth, according to Mintel Comperemedia, a service that provides direct marketing competitive intelligence.
Direct Magazine (June 2, 2010)
Mintel Comperemedia, a service that provides direct marketing competitive intelligence, reports that direct mail is on the rise.
Independent research by Mintel Comperemedia recently found that 40% of Americans would be very or somewhat interested in rolling over their 401-(k) or IRA into an annuity if the government encourages it with tax incentives.
The Sacramento Bee (May 25, 2010)
Independent research by Mintel Comperemedia recently found that 40% of Americans would be very or somewhat interested in rolling over their 401-(k) or IRA into an annuity if the government encourages it with tax incentives.
Independent research by Mintel Comperemedia recently found that 40% of Americans would be very or somewhat interested in rolling over their 401-(k) or IRA into an annuity if the government encourages it with tax incentives.
Independent research by Mintel Comperemedia recently found that 40% of Americans would be very or somewhat interested in rolling over their 401-(k) or IRA into an annuity if the government encourages it with tax incentives.
According to Mintel Comperemedia, banks sent an estimated 297 million brochures to customers in the first quarter of 2010, offering new checking accounts, savings products, online banking services, and debit cards.
Overnight Prints (May 25, 2010)
According to Mintel Comperemedia, a service that provides direct marketing competitive intelligence, direct marketing mail volumes across the banking and investment categories appear to show stability in the first quarter of 2010.
One way is to simply look in your mailbox. Andrew Davidson, of Mintel Comperemedia, says card issuers are expected to send three billion to four billion new-card offers this year, up from two billion last year. That's well below their six-billion-plus peaks, but still a sign of "renewed confidence and cautious optimism in the industry," he says.
The Philadelphia Inquirer (May 23, 2010)
Andrew Davidson studies cards for Mintel Comperemedia. He says card offers dried up for all but the credit superstars.
Direct marketing mail volumes in banking and investment categories showed stability in the first quarter, according to Chicago-based Mintel Comperemedia.
Media Post Marketing Daily (May 19, 2010)
According to Mintel Comperemedia, a service that provides direct marketing competitive intelligence, direct marketing mail volumes across the banking and investment categories appear to show stability in the first quarter of 2010.
According to Mintel Comperemedia, a service that provides direct marketing competitive intelligence, direct marketing mail volumes across the banking and investment categories appear to show stability in the first quarter of 2010.
According to Mintel Comperemedia, a service that provides direct marketing competitive intelligence, direct marketing mail volumes across the banking and investment categories appear to show stability in the first quarter of 2010.
Most offers are targeted toward individuals with a strong credit history. Andrew Davidson, Mintel senior vice president, said subprime cards, for those with spotty payment histories, counted for just over 10 percent of offers at their height, but are now well below that mark.
The Detroit News (May 17, 2010)
The poll by Mintel Comperemedia found that less than half of customers consider their lender to be a trustworthy organization, while 50 per cent said they have less faith in their bank than they did two years ago.
Perhaps "they overshot the mark when they were repricing for risk over the last year or so" or they're reacting to an improving economy, Susan Menke, vice president and behavioral economist with Mintel, says in an e-mail.
Creditcards.com (May 12, 2010)
Many consumers are looking beyond the obvious applications for online social media and into the financial resources it may provide, according to a recent survey by Mintel Comperemedia.
Credit.com News (May 11, 2010)
Mintel Comperemedia may have found the secret weapon many banks need to help combat consumer distrust: social media.
"We've seen a significant increase [in offers]," says Andrew Davidson, senior vice president of Comperemedia, a division of market research firm Mintel. "What we're witnessing here is a more cautiously optimistic approach."
Even though mailings are increasing, there is a long way to go before returning to the peak, when the number of offers each quarter exceeded the total for all of 2009. Marketing firm Mintel Comperemedia expects the high end for 2010 will be about half what landed in mailboxes during the peak years.
Most offers are targeted toward individuals with a strong credit history. Andrew Davidson, Mintel senior vice president, said subprime cards, for those with spotty payment histories, counted for just over 10 percent of offers at their height, but are now well below that mark.
The New York Times (May 6, 2010)
JPMorgan Chase, the biggest U.S. card issuer with 145 million accounts and $163 billion in outstanding loans, more than doubled its direct mail offers in the last three months of 2009 from the previous quarter, according to Mintel Comperemedia, a Chicago-based firm that tracks such offers.
It's a trend expected to continue, according to direct-marketing intelligence firm Mintel Comperemedia. "We expect to see more offers with a $200 cash incentive," says Susan Wolfe, vice president of financial services at Mintel.
For the first time in two years, issuers increased their direct-mail offers in the fourth quarter of last year, while the percentage of offers that charged a fee for a reward program jumped to 29% from 11% in early 2008, according to Mintel Comperemedia.
Yahoo! Finance (April 24, 2010)
"There are more restrictions on marketing to young adults, but it doesn't eliminate it totally," says Andrew Davidson, senior vice president of Mintel Comperemedia, a Chicago direct-mail research consulting firm.
That lack of a big ad campaign is probably because the cards are geared more toward people who seek cards online, who are a different kind of consumer than those who respond to direct mail and TV ads. It's also hard to conceive of a catchy pitch that directs potential customers to go online and pick a card with an interest rate between 9.99 and 19.99 percent, says Andrew Davidson, senior vice president of Mintel Comperemedia, a market research firm.
The same goes if you're considering signing up for a new card. In the fourth quarter of last year, the volume of offers sent out by credit-card companies via direct mail jumped 47% from the previous quarter, reports Mintel Comperemedia, a research firm. That marked the first increase in three years, but the offers included more annual fees and higher rates.
Kiplinger Finance Magazine (April 2010)
Credit card-related direct mail increased 47% during the final quarter of last year, compared to the previous quarter, Mintel Comperemedia reported in January. However, the total number of mailed credit card offers sent in 2009 was 66% less than in the year before. Chase increased its credit card mailings by the largest amount -87% - over Q4 2008. US Bank's mailings were up 64% over the same period of time, according to Mintel.
The Canadian recession, which began at the end of 2008, has led to this significant decline driven primarily by the large Canadian banks, said Andrew Davidson, senior vice president, in a statement. However, as the economy begins to recover, there are signs that direct mail volume is also stabilizing, which creates a tremendous opportunity for banks to increase their marketing.
According to a new report from Mintel Comperemedia, the message will be to encourage people to use the money to fund their retirement accounts, in particular contribute to an individual retirement account. "Since three in five people file their taxes and make IRA contributions after the end of February, March is an ideal time to reach consumers and encourage contributions. With the economy still recovering and unemployment rates at an all-time high, the ability for consumers to make IRA contributions in 2009 remains in question," said Susan Wolfe, vice president for Mintel.
San Diego Daily Transcript (March 27, 2010)
"Since 3 in 5 people file their taxes and make IRA contributions after the end of February, March is an ideal time to reach consumers and encourage contributions," comments Susan Wolfe, VP of financial services for Mintel Comperemedia.
A recent survey from Mintel Comperemedia found that consumers are more concerned about identity fraud than they were in pre-recession years, making offerings like these all the more in demand.
Pivotal Payments (March 24, 2010)
With the April 15 deadline for IRA contributions quickly approaching, new data from Mintel Comperemedia, a service that provides direct marketing competitive intelligence, suggests that March will be a record month for IRA direct mail.
Meanwhile, a survey here in the U.S. by Mintel Comperemedia, found that some consumers are much more likely to use blogs, Web discussion groups and social networking sites to shop for insurance than others. Of the 964 adults surveyed by Mintel, only 4 percent said they had used social media when asked where they had last researched insurance policies.
Insurance Information Institute (March 19, 2010)
Credit card issuers mailed five to seven billion offers a year from 2004 to 2007, according to Mintel Comperemedia, which tracks such things.
But when the economy tanked, default rates soared and billion-dollar losses caused banks to become much stingier with new cards.
Mintel Comperemedia, a firm which tracks marketing trends headquartered in Chicago, is seeing very low levels of direct mail for secured loans in general.
In the fourth quarter of 2009, consumers received 134 million mail offers for secured loans of all types. That was down from 198 million in 2008 and 467 million in 2007, noted Andrew Davidson, senior vice president at Mintel.
Broker Universe (March 15, 2010)
"Adults under age 34, men and those earning upwards of $75,000 consistently reported more usage of and interest in social networking," says Daniel Hayes, VP of insurance services at Mintel Comperemedia. "Because these individuals are already engaged in social media and because they use the Internet more for insurance research, policy management and purchasing, I'd like to see insurance companies start targeting them when creating social networking initiatives."
Insurance Networking News (March 15, 2010)
Mintel Comperemedia, which provides direct marketing competitive intelligence, says it surveyed 964 insured adults. The company asked survey respondents where they last researched insurance policies and only 4% said on a blog, online discussion group or social networking site.
Insurance Journal (March 12, 2010)
As in other industries, insurance companies are weighing the benefits of social media for promotion and customer interaction. A new survey from Mintel Comperemedia, a service that provides direct marketing competitive intelligence, suggests insurers efforts would be best spent targeting young adults, men, and high-income earners.
Healthcare Biz Dev (March 11, 2010)
As in other industries, insurance companies are weighing the benefits of social media for promotion and customer interaction. A new survey from Mintel Comperemedia, a service that provides direct marketing competitive intelligence, suggests insurers efforts would be best spent targeting young adults, men, and high-income earners. These groups are the most likely to already use social media for insurance research and communication.
The Earth Times (March 10, 2010)
This kind of vigilance about security will not only deter criminals, but it will also likely improve customer trust - and consequently brand loyalty, customer retention and even sales. A recent study from Mintel Comperemedia found that fears of identity theft have increased in recent years among consumers.
Pivotal Payments (March 9, 2010)
How much do fees typically cost? According to the Chicago-based market research firm Mintel Comperemedia, the average annual fee listed in credit card mailing offers -- excluding private label retail and charge cards -- totaled $71.94 in January and February of this year, with 30 percent of those cards charging an annual fee.
Then again, it's not as though banks ever tend to be objects of affection on the part of consumers. "People have never been in love with banks," says Susan Menke, who tracks attitudes about the industry as part of her job as vp, behavioral economist at Mintel. "They see banks as something they have to use." And, she adds, it's not as though banks have been adept at bonding with customers, tending instead to be more "formal" than is the case with, say, the consumer packaged-goods sector. She makes the point that "in a Web 2.0 world, people are accustomed to interaction," while banks aren't accustomed to providing it.
Then again, it's not as though banks ever tend to be objects of affection on the part of consumers. "People have never been in love with banks," says Susan Menke, who tracks attitudes about the industry as part of her job as vp, behavioral economist at Mintel. "They see banks as something they have to use." And, she adds, it's not as though banks have been adept at bonding with customers, tending instead to be more "formal" than is the case with, say, the consumer packaged-goods sector. She makes the point that "in a Web 2.0 world, people are accustomed to interaction," while banks aren't accustomed to providing it.
OK, if you not sufficiently bummed out by now, check out this new report by Mintel on consumer debt. It finds 36 percent of American consumers have struggled to pay their bills over the past two years. Mortgage debt is high up on the list.
More recently, Chicago-based market research firm Mintel Comperemedia found that the average late payment and over-limit fees were $37 and $36 respectively.
CreditCards.com (March 3, 2010)
"The 2010 financial services consumer has seen economic hardship and he or she is cautious when it comes to spending money. This person also feels mistrustful of large financial institutions," explained Susan Menke, behavioral economist on behalf of Mintel Comperemedia, a marketing advisory firm in Chicago.
About 36% of Americans claim to have had trouble paying their bills in the past two years. Of those adults, less than four in 10 sought help from a lender or credit consolidation agency to try to modify their loans, according to Chicago-based Mintel.
MediaPost Marketing Daily (March 3, 2010)
Dismal news about debt in America: a new consumer survey from Mintel, a leading provider of market intelligence, says 36% of Americans claim to have had trouble paying their bills in the past two years. Of those adults, less than four in 10 sought help from a lender or credit consolidation agency to try to modify their loans.
Aside from steep declines in first class mail use by customers for such daily rituals as bill payments and bank statements, consider that at the height of the economy in 2006, the credit card industry sent out more than 8 billion pieces of direct mail to attract business. Last year, the industry sent out a little more than 1 billion pieces, according to Mintel Comperemedia, a company that tracks direct mail.
San Francisco Chronicle (March 3, 2010)
Annual fees, common until about 10 years ago, have made a comeback. During the final three months of last year, 43 percent of new offers for credit cards contained annual fees, versus 25 percent in the same period a year earlier, according to Mintel International, which tracks marketing data.
Credit card companies made less use of direct mail in 2009, but life and health insurers made more use of direct mail. Researchers in the Chicago office of Mintel Comperemedia, a unit of Mintel International Group Ltd., says direct-mail life insurance offers increased 9% in 2009 and health insurance offers increased 4%. Property-casualty offers dropped 5%, and credit card offers dropped about one-third.
National Underwriter Life & Health (February 25, 2010)
Despite budget cuts and the growing use of social media, insurance companies maintained their use of direct mail throughout last year, according to research from Mintel Comperemedia, a direct marketing intelligence firm.
Daniel Hayes, vice president of insurance services at Mintel--a provider of market intelligence--said during a webinar yesterday that there are so many social media sites that are popping up so quickly, even the people who start them have trouble understanding how they will ultimately be used.
National Underwriter P&C (February 25, 2010)
Annual fees, common until about 10 years ago, have made a comeback. During the final three months of last year, 43 percent of new offers for credit cards contained annual fees, versus 25 percent in the same period a year earlier, according to Mintel International, which tracks marketing data. Several banks also added these fees to existing accounts.
The New York Times (February 20, 2010)
"Issuers are looking for ways to recoup potential lost revenues from the new regulations," says Andrew Davidson, senior vice president at Mintel Comperemedia.
Wall Street Journal (February 21, 2010)
Avoiding such fees is sure to get trickier. Only about 20% of U.S. credit cards currently have an annual fee, according to industry statistics. But that number will likely rise because most direct-mail card offers are for premium cards loaded with reward programsbut also fees. Plain-vanilla cards that don't have any annual fees (or rewards programs) represented just 11% of mail offers in the fourth quarter, according to Mintel Comperemedia, which tracks credit-card mail offers.
Yahoo! Finance (February 20, 2010)
Their exit from the business leaves consumers with poor credit with very few options, says Andrew Davison, senior vice president of Chicago-based Mintel Comperemedia, which monitors credit card offers. "It's very significant," Davidson says. "The major (card issuers) have really scaled back. The entire mailbox has shifted."
FOX Business (February 18, 2010)
The volume of credit-card solicitations sent to consumers is increasing. Direct mail jumped 47 percent to 575 million pieces in the fourth quarter of 2009 compared with the previous quarter, the first increase in three years, according to Chicago-based Mintel Comperemedia, which tracks marketing trends. Issuers are targeting more affluent consumers, with 30 percent of offers being sent to households with incomes exceeding $100,000 compared with 18 percent in 2007, based on data provided by Mintel.
Business Week (February 15, 2010)
Although the recession may have dealt its worst blows, banks are adjusting to a new environment, one with stricter regulations, fewer opportunities for big risks, and heavy sentiment against them. In that light, Mintel Comperemedia, a provider of direct marketing intelligence, is forecasting five major changes for banks in 2010.
Consumer Affairs (February 9, 2010)
Mintel Comperemedia, which tracks direct marketing, predicted earlier this week that "enticing" cash incentives are going to be a "a hot direct marketing tactic" this year from banks trying to promote their checking accounts and other deposit accounts.
New York Times (February 11, 2010)
In addition to Premier, the Nevada-based Credit One Bank has also mailed out offers featuring different fee structures, according to Andrew Davidson, senior vice president of Mintel Comperemedia, a Chicago direct-mail research consulting firm. Mintel is tracking how credit card offers are changing in light of the credit card law restrictions.
Creditcards.com (February 12, 2010)
For the first time in three years, the number of credit-card direct mailings increased from quarter to quarter, with 575 million mailings sent in the fourth quarter of 2009, up 47% from the previous quarter, according to tracking firm Mintel Comperemedia.
In fact, a market researcher called Mintel Comperemedia, which looks after all these solicitations says that in the last three months of 2009, the number of solicitations that went out rose 47 percent from the quarter before. Now topping the list was Capitol One; their solicitations more than tripled.
Marketplace (NPR) (February 3, 2010)
The financial company's volume of direct mail card solicitations shot up 212 percent in the fourth quarter, according to marketing research firm Mintel International. Although Cap One sent out more offers in total in Q4 2009, the latest hike represents the first time in a year that the company is actively chasing potential new card customers.
The number of credit card solicitations mailed to consumers rose during the last three months of 2009 for the first time in three years, according to Mintel Comperemedia, a Chicago market-research firm. Total come-ons from credit card issuers jumped 47% from the previous three-month period, Mintel found.
Los Angeles Times (February 3, 2010)
However, new data from Mintel Comperemedia says that in the fourth quarter of 2009, the number of direct-mail credit card offers rose 47 percent over the third quarter's totals. At the same time though, the company noted that the overall total for 2009 remained 66 percent below the levels seen in 2008. Still, this was said to be the first time in three years that the number of direct-mail offers actually increased.
For the first time in three years, credit card direct mail volume made a quarterly increase, according to new research from Mintel Comperemedia, a direct mail tracking service. Direct mail volume rose 47 percent in the fourth quarter of 2009 compared with the previous quarter. The total number of card offers sent for the year was still 66 percent lower than the total for 2008.
On the heels of a year full of economic turmoil and uncertainty, Mintel Comperemedia forecasts five consumer-focused trends that will impact the financial services industry in 2010. Using Mintel's proprietary consumer data and the expert analysis of behavioral economist Susan Menke, Mintel Comperemedia looks at how consumers' actions and beliefs about their finances will change next year.
After predicting an upswing in card mailings as issuers worked to comply with the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009, Mintel Comperemedia is seeing an uptick in credit card direct-mail solicitations from major issuers.
Payment Source (February 1, 2010)
Mintel Comperemedia, a provider of direct marketing information, reports that in the fourth quarter -- for the first time in three years -- the volume of credit card direct mail increased from the previous quarter.
Consumer Affairs (January 29, 2010)
Credit card-related direct mail volume jumped during last year's fourth quarter. It was the first increase in three years, although the total amount of credit card mail pieces pales in comparison to pre-recession amounts, according to research from Mintel Corporation released January 28.
Credit card direct mail volume increased from the previous quarter in fourth-quarter 2009 for the first time in three years, according to Mintel Comperemedia.
Mintel: Credit Card Direct Mail Rises
This is just one example of the findings in a recent Mintel Comperemedia online survey of 275 captive and independent insurance agents that revealed that many agents feel they need to be in the office to grow their business. In short, if they aren't at their desks, they aren't making money.
American Agent & Broker (January 28, 2010)
U.S. consumers received about 5.2 billion pieces of direct mail in the third quarter of 2009, a 27% decline compared with 7.1 billion in the same period a year earlier, according to Mintel Comperemedia, a research firm that tracks direct-mail marketing.
Wall Street Journal (January 12, 2010)
U.S. consumers received about 5.2 billion pieces of direct mail in the third quarter of 2009, a 27% decline compared with 7.1 billion in the same period a year earlier, according to Mintel Comperemedia, a research firm that tracks direct-mail marketing.
Wall Street Journal (January 12, 2010)
If you need a new card, shop around. Most credit card mailings still offer cards with rewards and no annual fee, according to recent research from Mintel Comperemedia, a Chicago-based market research firm.
Bankrate.com (January 6, 2010)
Interest rates will go up, up, up: OK, we all knew that, but to get specific, Andrew Davidson, a senior vice-president at Mintel Comperemedia, predicts that we're going to see a higher interest rate for purchases and cash advances and higher minimum monthly payments on our credit cards.
Mintel contends that credit card mailings dropped off because of the economy but have now reached rock bottom and are poised for an upswing.
"Some issuers have also been holding back because of the CARD Act," Davidson said. Issuers are retooling their card offerings because of the changes, he said. "The whole landscape of customer acquisition has changed."
American Banker (January 5, 2010)
In this flailing economy, a growing number of consumers are concerned they'll be bilked by con men or identity thieves. Behavioral economist Susan Menke says the biggest threats could come from inside your home.
RADIO: KGO News Talk AM 810 (January 4, 2010)
"Young adults have never really been the focus of direct marketing activity, and now with more restrictions in place, there could be fewer offerings for this particular demographic," says Andrew Davidson of Mintel Comperemedia.
CreditCards.com (December 31, 2009)
As if the global recession, struggling housing market and high unemployment numbers weren't enough, market research firm Mintel reveals that Americans increasingly fret about having their identities stolen.
Insurance Broadcasting (December 31, 2009)
Americans increasingly fret about having their identity stolen, according to Mintel Comperemedia. Nearly half of adults (46%) say they are more worried about someone stealing funds from their bank accounts or stealing their identity.
MediaPost Marketing Daily (December 30, 2009)
Quarterly direct-mail offers for credit cards peak at 2.22 million. Market researcher Mintel says nearly 8.2 million offers were sent out in the year.
American Chronicle (December 27, 2009)
With the economy remaining tepid, consumers are looking for "rewards" for as many purchases as possible, according to Mintel Comperemedia. The Chicago-based company reports that in the first three quarters of 2009, nearly a third of checking direct mail offers (31%) promoted rewards for everyday banking. This compares to just 13% of offers tracked in 2007.
MediaPost Marketing Daily (December 23, 2009)
And while companies used to cap the total amount that customers would pay for a balance transfer -- at, say, $50 -- fewer companies are doing so anymore. Roughly 68% of balance-transfer deals in the second quarter of 2009 had no limits on fees, compared with 44% the previous year, says Mintel Comperemedia, a firm that tracks marketing trends.
Yahoo! Business (December 21, 2009)
In addition to Premier, the Nevada-based Credit One Bank has also mailed out offers featuring different fee structures, according to Andrew Davidson, senior vice president of Mintel Comperemedia, a Chicago direct-mail research consulting firm. Mintel is tracking how credit card offers are changing in light of the credit card law restrictions. "The indication here is that the subprime issuers are looking at ways to work within the new law," Davidson says.
CreditCards.com (December 18, 2009)
Quarterly direct-mail offers for credit cards peak at 2.22 million. Market researcher Mintel says nearly 8.2 million offers were sent out in the year. (Comperemedia)
Quarterly direct-mail offers for credit cards peak at 2.22 million. Market researcher Mintel says nearly 8.2 million offers were sent out in the year. (Comperemedia)
Huffington Post (December 18, 2009)
What will be the long-lasting impact of the recession on consumer spending? That is a much-debated subject and two reports out this morning show there is some disagreement on the subject. "The recession left people feeling shaken and vulnerable, wary of previous years' spending binges and craving a more conservative approach to money. We expect that thrifty, save-for-a-rainy-day mentality to continue next year," said Susan Menke of Mintel Comperemedia.
San Diego Daily Transcript (December 16, 2009)
Consumers next year likely will remain financially conservative, Mintel Comperemedia said. The Chicago company said in a report last week that 86% of consumers expect to be "more conservative" with their money in 2010, and 75% plan to be "more cautious" about borrowing.
The findings echo this week's Federal Reserve Board of Governors Flow of Funds report, which concluded that American are saving money and reducing their debt at levels far exceeding recent years, Mintel said.
American Banker (December 16, 2009)
Market researcher Mintel Comperemedia has been seeing similar trends.
"Our recent consumer surveys point to a changed mindset for consumers," said Susan Menke, a behavioral economist for Mintel. "The recession left people feeling shaken and vulnerable, wary of previous years' spending binges and craving a more conservative approach to money. We expect that thrifty, save-for-a-rainy day mentality to continue next year."
We're planning to keep our purses snapped shut and our wallets firmly lodged in our back pockets. Mintel Comperemedia, a service that provides direct marketing competitive intelligence, predicts that next year, consumers will continue saving money at an elevated rate.
Despite the cuts in credit limits and tighter standards, credit-card mail volume is rising, according to Chicago-based Mintel Comperemedia, which tracks marketing trends.
Mintel said issuers sent 180 million credit-card offers to U.S. consumers in October, the first significant increase this year. That compares with 134 million card offers sent in September.
Chicago Sun Times (December 10, 2009)
According to data from Mintel Comperemedia, in the second quarter of 2008, 47% of balance transfer offers had no ceiling on the fee. Just a year later, 76% of balance transfer offers had no ceiling on the fee. Over that same time period, the number of balance transfer offers with no fee charged declined from 19% to 11%.
Huffington Post (December 10, 2009)
Credit-card mail volume is rising, with issuers sending 180 million credit-card offers to U.S. consumers in October, the first significant increase this year, according to Chicago-based Mintel Comperemedia, which tracks marketing trends. That compares with 134 million card offers sent in September.
Insurance company direct mail for Medicare offers are expected to rise as much as 20% during this year's annual election period (Nov.15-Dec. 31, according to Mintel Comperemedia. Overall, Mintel expects insurers to send approximately 350 million direct mail pieces to non-customers between October and December.
In the first three quarters of 2009, nearly a third of banks (31%) were offering rewards via direct mail for checking customers, compared to just 13% in 2007, according to new analysis from Mintel Comperemedia.
While Capital One and Bank of America have halted their direct mail solicitations for personal loans, others are still going strong. During the third quarter of this year, 80 million solicitations were sent out, says Andrew Davidson, senior vice president of Mintel Comperemedia, a direct marketing research firm which has its U.S. headquarters in Chicago.
Credit Cards.com (December 4, 2009)
While Capital One and Bank of America have halted their direct mail solicitations for personal loans, others are still going strong. During the third quarter of this year, 80 million solicitations were sent out, says Andrew Davidson, senior vice president of Mintel Comperemedia, a direct marketing research firm which has its U.S. headquarters in Chicago.
Of those still sending out personal loan solicitations, Citibank tops the list, with a 20 percent market share, followed by Discover, with a 14 percent share. While no credit union has more than a 1 percent to 2 percent market share, many have "very competitive offers," Davidson says.
FOX Business (December 4, 2009)
Industrywide, variable-credit cards accounted for 94% of all new credit cards offered between July and September, up from 67% of the same period in 2007, according to Mintel, a market research firm.
Amex- and Discover-branded cards accounted for 2 percent of the direct-mail offers other issuers sent last quarter, according to Mintel Comperemedia, a Chicago firm that tracks direct mail. This share has remained relatively flat since 2005.
American Banker (December 1, 2009)
But now Andrew Davidson, senior vice president with Mintel Compermedia, a firm that tracks direct mail advertising, says there are signs that large card issuers are returning to the marketing practice. According to the firm's observations, large card issuers sent 180 million direct mail card offers in October, a 34% increase over the number of card offers sent by direct mail in September.
Credit Union Times (November 24, 2009)
Direct marketing analyst Mintel Comperemedia disclosed last week that 180 million credit card offers were sent to consumers last month, according to its research. That number is the highest monthly total tracked since last December and the first significant rise in mail volume all year, according to the company.
A recent survey of nearly 300 U.S. insurance producers found that agents tend to craft their business requirements based on age, experience in the field and unique position within the industry. Released by Mintel Comperemedia, the survey found that 76 percent of independent agents rank marketing support highly when selecting products to sell, compared with 68 percent of captive agents.
Producers Web (November 17, 2009)
Credit card issuers sent out 180 million credit card offers to U.S. consumers last month, a 34% increase from the month before and had the highest monthly total since last December and the largest increase this year, according to Mintel Comperemedia.
Direct Magazine (November 19, 2009)
...according to Mintel Comperemedia, the number of credit card offers sent through the mail in October rose to 180 million pieces. That's up 34 percent from the previous month but still way below the peak set in February 2004.
San Diego Daily Transcript (November 20, 2009)
Credit card direct mail volume is back on the rise, according to Mintel Comperemedia.
Issuers sent 180 million credit card offers to U.S. consumers in October, a 34% increase over the 134 million credit card offers sent during September. This is the highest monthly total tracked since December 2008, and it's the first significant rise in mail volume all year.
Media Post Marketing Daily (November 21, 2009)
The sour economy and the new legislation have cut down on promotional offers from card companies. According to research firm Mintel Comperemedia, direct mail from issuers in the third quarter fell 71 percent compared with a year earlier, to 391 million letters. The company found that the promotions that were mailed were not as attractive.
Pittsburgh Tribune (November 23, 2009)
Mintel Comperemedia, a service that provides direct marketing competitive intelligence, says issuers sent 180 million credit card offers to US consumers last month. This is the highest monthly total tracked since December 2008 and it's the first significant rise in mail volume all year.
Street Insider (November 19, 2009)
Credit card issuers sent out 180 million credit card offers to U.S. consumers last month, a 34% increase from the month before and had the highest monthly total since last December and the largest increase this year, according to Mintel Comperemedia.
Direct Magazine (November 19, 2009)
A recent survey of nearly 300 U.S. insurance producers found that agents tend to craft their business requirements based on age, experience in the field and unique position within the industry. Released by Mintel Comperemedia, the survey found that 76 percent of independent agents rank marketing support highly when selecting products to sell, compared with 68 percent of captive agents.
Producers Web (November 17, 2009)
Insurance agents hold differing preferences based on their experience in the industry and whether they're captive or independent, according to a Mintel Comperemedia survey.
The survey of 275 insurance producers in the U.S. during September 2009 shows that independent agents rank marketing support higher than captive agents when selecting which products to sell (76% versus 68%).
Media Post Marketing Daily (November 13, 2009)
This will come on top of an already tight consumer credit market: banks sent out 2.1 billion direct-mail credit card solicitations in the third quarter of 2006, according to the research firm Mintel; this year in the same quarter, they sent out 391 million.
The New York Times (November 13, 2009)
Not only are consumers getting less credit card-marketing mail, they also are getting less-desirable offers, according to research by Mintel Comperemedia, a Chicago direct mail-tracking firm. While direct mail volume dropped 70%, to 391 million card offers in the third quarter, from 1.3 billion a year earlier, it appears that the market has hit bottom and is on the way back up, Mintel said.
American Banker (November 12, 2009)
Andrew Davidson, spokesperson for Mintel Comperemedia, told reporters that uncertainty about new banking regulations and long lead times for direct mail campaigns forced many lenders to refocus credit card marketing on web-based offers. "In addition to adjusting their direct marketing strategy by sending less mail, they're raising rates and fees on existing and new cards," Davidson said. "The credit card offers we see today are undeniably less attractive than they were one year or even six months ago."
Card Ratings (November 10, 2009)
Direct-mail credit card offers worsened and dwindled in volume in the third quarter, according to new research from Mintel Comperemedia. Credit card issuers sent 71 percent fewer offers than they did a year ago. Only 6 percent of the advertisements sent had fixed interest rates, down from 27 percent last year, and a mere 5 percent offered an introductory period for 13 months or more. Balance transfer fees of 4 percent and 5 percent appeared on 16 percent of solicitations, which were rare in 2008.
Bankrate.com (November 5, 2009)
Customers are largely satisfied with their auto insurance providers, a new survey from Chicago-based marketing competitive intelligence provider Mintel Comperemedia finds.
The study reveals that 50% of respondents have been with their current auto insurance provider for more than five years, while another 21% have a two- to five-year history.
Insurance News Net (November 2, 2009)
Mintel Comperemedia, which analyses direct mail marketing, says its quarterly survey of trends showed that credit card issuers sent 391m direct mail offers during the third quarter, a 71 per cent drop from the 1.3bn offers sent in the same period last year.
Financial Times (November 1, 2009)
Credit card issuers sent out 391 million direct mail solicitations during the third quarter of 2009, according to Mintel Comperemedia. That's 71% lower than the 1.3 billion offers sent out a year ago, and seven percent lower than the volume mailed in second quarter 2009.
Andrew Davidson, SVP of Mintel Comperemedia, comments: "Credit card issuers are
cautiously navigating CARD Act regulations. In addition to adjusting their
direct marketing strategy by sending less mail, they`re raising rates and fees
on existing and new cards. The credit card offers we see today are undeniably
less attractive than they were one year or even six months ago."
"We're seeing [APRs] edge up, particularly for cards that don't have a fee," says Andrew Davidson, senior vice president with Comperemedia in New York. Davidson explains that banks are experimenting with higher rates on some cards and new fees on others. "The CARD Act will be eating into revenues and so issuers are looking at any legitimate means possible" to offset the loss of revenue, he says.
CreditCards.com (October 30, 2009)
People prefer to communicate with their banks in person at a branch, and not via email, according to a new survey from Mintel Comperemedia. Two in three adults (65%) say they prefer to get up close and personal at a bank branch to communicate, while three in seven (43%) like the phone for its real-person, real-time qualities. Only 44% of survey respondents say they like logging on to a bank's secure Web site, while just one-third (34%) choose email as a preferred method of bank communication.
MediaPost Marketing Daily (October 29, 2009)
Chase isn't the only one eying that pent-up demand. Barclays and Citibank (C, Fortune 500) have noticeably stepped up their direct-mail marketing for small business cards in recent months, and Bank of America (BAC, Fortune 500) had held steady with a blizzard of mailings, according to Mintel Comperemedia, a market research firm.
Health and life insurance providers are much more likely to market to Baby Boomers than to younger consumers who fall into Generation X and Generation Y age groups, according to research from Mintel Comperemedia.
In the 12 months ending June 2009, a study found that Gen Xers (those born in the mid 1960s to the early 1980s) received 15% fewer health insurance marketing direct mail pieces than Boomers. Gen Y (those born in the mid 1980s to late 1990s) saw even fewer offers: 25% less than their parents' generation, reports MarketingCharts.
Marketing VOX (October 21, 2009)
Small-business owners in the United States should expect to see more credit card offers in their mailboxes in the coming months as issuers begin to target the segment, according to Mintel Comperemedia. The Chicago market research company said that mailings have been flat this year, after declining in 2008, but the improving economy is prompting some issuers to increase their solicitation mail volume.
American Banker (October 14, 2009)
When it comes to money, Americans know what they don't know -- and they want to know more. A new report from Mintel Comperemedia, a provider of direct marketing information, reveals that three in four adults are trying to increase their financial know-how because of the current economic situation. Another 32 percent say they've already done so, while 43 percent say they plan to learn more about financial topics in the future.
Consumer Affairs (October 14, 2009)
According to Mintel Comperemedia's study results, about 75% of adults are planning to come back to school this fall, aiming to increase their financial know-how in terms of the current economic recession. Meantime, 32% have already done this, while 43% intends to learn more about financial topics in the future.
Ecommerce Journal (October 13, 2009)
Three in four adults (75%) are trying to increase their financial know-how because of the current economic crisis, according to a report from Mintel Comperemedia. A third (32%) say they've already done so, while 43% say they plan to learn more about financial topics in the future.
MediaPost Marketing Daily (October 13, 2009)
Chase, which already had sent out more promotional mail aimed at signing up small business cardholders than any other card issuer, also increased its leadership in that category in the second quarter, according to a report of Mintel Comperemedia. Chase nearly doubled its percentage of total mailings to small businesses, while American Express appears to have reduced its mailings.
Recent figures from Mintel Comperemedia find that in the second quarter of 2009, card companies sent out 28 percent more offers for premium cards than they did in the first quarter. During that time, overall credit card offers still declined by 8 percent.
One in two people (50%) have been with their current auto insurance provider for more than five years and another 21% have a two- to five-year history with their present company, according to a survey from Mintel Comperemedia.
MediaPost Marketing Daily, October 2, 2009
Chase is hardly alone. In the past few months, Citibank (Stock Quote: C) and Bank of America (Stock Quote: BAC) have also taken the chains off their small business cards, issuing almost 80% more card offers to entrepreneurs than in 2008, according to Mintel Compermedia.
People may not be happy with auto manufacturers, but they sure are satisfied with auto insurers. A new survey from Mintel Comperemedia, a service that provides direct marketing competitive intelligence, reveals one in two people (50%) have been with their current auto insurance provider for more than five years. Another 21% have a two- to five-year history with their present company.
The Auto Channel, October 1, 2009
In July and August, Chase, Barclays, Citibank and Bank of America sent out more small-business credit-card offers than in previous months, according to Mintel Comperemedia, a Chicago firm that tracks direct mail. What's more, the number of mailings received by small businesses remained flat in 2009a distinct improvement over 2008, when the number of business card mailings tracked by Mintel dropped 82%.
The Wall Street Journal, September 28, 2009
According to a May 2009 study by financial industry research firm Mintel, more than two of five adults report that theyre turning toward pay-as-you-go debit cards and away from buy-now-and-pay-later credit cards. Overall, 83% of survey respondents told Mintel they have changed their spending habits due to the economy.
MainStreet, September 25, 2009
As issuers have cut back on marketing to small business, Chase is looking to exploit that opportunity as the economy starts to pick up, says Andrew Davidson, senior vice president at Mintel Comperemedia, a research firm that tracks credit-card mailings.
BusinessWeek, September 23, 2009
As issuers have cut back on marketing to small business, "Chase is looking to exploit that opportunity as the economy starts to pick up," says Andrew Davidson, senior vice president at Mintel Comperemedia, a research firm that tracks credit-card mailings. Indeed, Chase's new suite of cardsdubbed "Ink from Chase"takes direct aim at American Express Co., long known for its charge cards and small-business customers, he says.
The Wall Street Journal, September 23, 2009
Andrew Davidson, senior vice president of Mintel Comperemedia, comments: "Credit card companies are competing to attract people with high credit scores and big spending habits. Because premium credit cards often have high associated fees and low risk, issuers see them as an excellent way to restore profitability in today's economy." Credit card issuers are also competing by introducing new premium cards. High profile cards launched since beginning of the downturn include Chase Sapphire, the Visa Black Card and the American Express Hilton Honors Surpass Card.
TMCnet.com, September 17, 2009
Issuers are sending more premium credit card offers in the mail, according to new research from Mintel Comperemedia, a direct mail tracking service. The firm found that credit card issuers mailed 28 percent more offers for premium cards -- defined as MasterCard World or Visa Signature cards -- for the second quarter of 2009 than they did last quarter. Overall, the volume of credit card solicitations declined by 8 percent during the same period. A press release from Mintel also noted new premium cards that launched during the recession: Chase Sapphire, the Visa Black Card and the American Express Hilton HHonors Surpass Card.
Yahoo! Finance, September 17, 2009
Credit card issuers are increasing mailings offering premium cards to wealthy consumers, according to new research from Mintel Comperemedia, a Chicago company that tracks direct marketing activity.
In the second quarter, issuers sent 96 million direct-mail marketing offers for premium cards, up 28% from 75 million in the first quarter. In the second quarter of 2008, issuers sent 119 million premium card offers. Overall in the second quarter of 2009, credit card mailings were down 72%, to 419 million, from 1.5 billion a year earlier.
American Banker, September 15, 2009
Continuing a pattern that has held for more than a year, credit card issuers last quarter mailed out fewer new-card offers than they did in the quarter before. But 28 percent more offers were sent to consumers with the best credit for two lines of so-called premium cards. About 118 million pieces of mail went out advertising the MasterCard World and Visa Signature cards, premium cards that come with fees and extra services. That was up from 75 million the quarter before, according to Comperemedia, a firm that tracks direct marketing.
The New York Times, September 14, 2009
According to research from Mintel Comperemedia, credit card companies increased their mailings for premium credit cards by 28 percent during the second quarter of 2009. This increase in premium cards - aimed at those with a higher income - comes during a time when the number of credit card offers on the whole fell 8 percent.
Andrew Davidson, senior vice president of Mintel Comperemedia, says credit card companies are targeting the more affluent crowd because they tend to have better credit scores and are therefore a lower risk.
Credit.com, September 12, 2009
Mintel Comperemedia reports that credit card companies are stepping up premium credit-card offers to the wealthy, in an attempt to mine profitable customers who have good credit scores, high disposable incomes and patterns of big-spending. The overall number of card offers to the wealthy (premium and non-premium) has held steady, while the number of card offers to the general population has been steeply curtailed.
Seeking Alpha, September 11, 2009
A recent report from Mintel Comperemedia finds that the total number of credit card offers fell by 8 percent in the second quarter of 2009. But during that same period, the amount of premium cards aimed at affluent consumers increased by 28 percent.
Affluent Americans are more likely to have seen more premium credit card offers in the mailbox recently, according to Mintel Comperemedia. Credit card issuers are advertising more premium credit cards in an effort to attract the best customers, according to the Chicago-based company. In the second quarter, credit card issuers sent 28% more marketing direct mail offers for premium cards than they did the quarter before. This occurred while issuers reduced credit card offers as a whole by 8%.
MediaPost Marketing Daily, September 10, 2009
"We've definitely seen that slight upward tick" in APRs overall, says Andrew Davidson, senior vice president with Comperemedia in New York. "It's particularly interesting because prime is at such a low rate."
Specifically, banks are offering a greater number of premium cards and launching new products in that premium marketplace segment. "Premium cards do tend to have a higher go-to APR," says Davidson. Mintel Comperemedia data released Wednesday shows that in the second quarter, credit card issuers sent 28 percent more direct-mail marketing offers for premium cards than they did in the first three months of 2009, even as issuers reduced overall credit card offers by 8 percent.
CreditCards.com, September 10, 2009
If you're an affluent American, chances are you've seen more offers of MasterCard World or Visa Signature -- the so-called premium credit cards -- in your mailbox recently.
Mintel Comperemedia, a provider of direct marketing competitive information, reports credit card issuers are advertising more premium credit cards in an effort to attract the best customers.
Consumer Affairs, September 10, 2009
If you're an affluent American, chances are you've seen more premium credit card* offers in your mailbox recently. Mintel Comperemedia, a service that provides direct marketing competitive intelligence, reports credit card issuers are advertising more premium credit cards in an effort to attract the best customers.
PaymentsSource, September 10, 2009
What I found was a strong correlation between the age of the head of household and the number of insurance solicitations each receives. Consumers 61 to 64 years of age receive 3.8 times as much mail as consumers who are 26-30 years of age...
Mintel Comperemedia, a service that provides direct marketing competitive intelligence, reports credit card issuers are advertising more premium credit cards in an effort to attract the best customers. In Q2 2009, credit card issuers sent 28% more marketing direct mail offers for premium cards than they did the quarter before. This occurred while issuers reduced credit card offers as a whole by 8%.
The popularity of mobile applications for the Blackberry, iPhone and others has given new life to the concept of mobile banking - and the banks out there are pushing their customers to give it a try. Mintel Comperemedia, a service that provides direct marketing competitive intelligence, said Monday that the phrase mobile banking appeared in direct mail offers from banks twice as often as it did in the first half of 2008, according to research. And, mobile banking is also more often the subject of e-mail offers, as well.
Seeking Alpha, August 31, 2009
Mintel Comperemedia, a service that provides direct marketing competitive intelligence, reports that mobile banking promotion is on the rise in direct marketing. In the first half of 2009, the phrase "mobile banking" appeared in banking direct mail offers more than twice as often as in the first half of 2008. Significantly more email offers also now mention "mobile banking", according to Mintel Comperemedia's analysis of email advertising from banks.
The popularity of mobile applications for the Blackberry, iPhone and others has given new life to the concept of mobile banking - and the banks out there are pushing their customers to give it a try. Mintel Comperemedia, a service that provides direct marketing competitive intelligence, said Monday that the phrase mobile banking appeared in direct mail offers from banks twice as often as it did in the first half of 2008, according to research. And, mobile banking is also more often the subject of e-mail offers, as well.
Seeking Alpha, August 31, 2009
Mintel Comperemedia, a service that provides direct marketing competitive intelligence, reports that mobile banking promotion is on the rise in direct marketing. In the first half of 2009, the phrase "mobile banking" appeared in banking direct mail offers more than twice as often as in the first half of 2008. Significantly more email offers also now mention "mobile banking", according to Mintel Comperemedia's analysis of email advertising from banks.
Mintel Comperemedia, a service that provides direct marketing competitive intelligence, reports that mobile banking promotion is on the rise in direct marketing. In the first half of 2009, the phrase "mobile banking" appeared in banking direct mail offers more than twice as often as in the first half of 2008. Significantly more email offers also now mention "mobile banking", according to Mintel Comperemedia's analysis of email advertising from banks.
Individual.com, August 31, 2009
Mintel Comperemedia reports that mobile banking promotion is on the rise in direct marketing. In the first half of 2009, the phrase mobile banking appeared in banking direct mail offers more than twice as often as in the first half of 2008. Significantly more email offers also now mention mobile banking, according to Mintel Comperemedias analysis of email advertising from banks.
Young consumers, who usually have thin credit histories and receive small initial credit lines, make up a small part of issuers' business. For the past 18 months, consumers between the ages of 18 and 25 have received a scant 1% of all credit card acquisition direct mail sent to the households tracked by Mintel International Group Ltd., according to Andrew Davidson, a senior vice president.
American Banker, August 25, 2009
Even people who dont use bank accounts still use technology especially cell phones. It could be college kids who dont have a steady financial stream yet, or low-income folks who still own a cell phone. Studies show that 40% of Americans who earn less than $25,000 still have a cell phone (Source: Mintel).
According to market research firm Mintel, the credit card industry sent out nearly 5.5 billion pieces of junk mail in 2008, but for the first six months of this year, only 900 million pieces of mail have been sent.
"In one way, it's good that we're getting less [direct] mail," said Andrew Davidson, senior vice president with Mintel Comperemedia, a Chicago-based firm that tracks direct advertising. "On the other hand, it's a sign that these companies, such as the card issuers and banks, are being more cautious in light of the difficult economic environment."
The credit card industry, among the most prolific of the direct-mailers, sent out 5.4 billion pieces of direct mail in 2008, down from 7.3 billion in 2007, according to Mintel. The decline became even steeper this year, with less than 900 million pieces mailed in the first six months
An earlier report from Mintel Comperemedia noted a stabilization (after two years of declines) in the number of mailings sent to households promoting mortgages and home-equity loans. But the nature of the offers has shifted, given lessons consumers have learned the hard way in the past year. Notably, direct-mail offers of adjustable-rate mortgages have "fallen out of favor," according to Mintel's analysis.
Pam McHugh, president of Mintel Comperemedia, announces the hire of Andrew Davidson, voice of the credit card direct marketing industry, as senior vice president. In his new role, Andrew Davidson will help Mintel Comperemedia provide the best direct marketing competitive intelligence for businesses during this rough economic time
Individual.com, August 13, 2009
Health and life insurers seem to favor marketing to older adults, but in doing so theyre missing vast market opportunities, said Daniel Hayes, vice president of insurance services at Mintel Comperemedia, in a statement. All generations can benefit from health and life insurance coverage, so age shouldnt dictate insurers direct marketing strategy.
Insurance and Financial Advisor, August 11, 2009
Chicago-based Mintel Comperemedia estimates 5.4 billion credit card direct mail offers for 2008, the lowest annual total the firm has reported since 2000.
CardTrack.com, August 10, 2009
In the meantime, loyalty offerssuch as bonus cash-back incentivesto existing customers are up through the second quarter, in contrast to overall offer mailings, which are down sharply, according to Mintel Comperemedia, a market-research firm.
Wall Street Journal, August 4, 2009
However, financial struggles of automotive, financial and mortgage companies, historically heavy users of direct mail, contributed to a 12.0% decrease in the amount of direct mail pieces sent in 2008, according to Mintel Comperemedia. VSS noted those declines were offset by postage increases and higher prices charged by direct mail companies.
Research from Mintel Comperemedia shows health and life insurers pay far more attention to Baby Boomers than they do to Generation X and Generation Y, but Generation X is very interested in health and life insurance, and say they'll purchase these products in the near future (17% more likely for health insurance, 23% for life insurance).
Financial Planning, August 4, 2009
"Health and life insurers seem to favor marketing to older adults, but in doing so they're missing vast market opportunities. All generations can benefit from health and life insurance coverage, so age shouldn't dictate insurers' direct marketing strategy," says Daniel Hayes, vice president of insurance services at Mintel Comperemedia.
Consumer Affairs, July 30, 2009
Health and life insurance companies are still expending much of their marketing attention on Baby Boomers, rather than with younger consumers, according to research from Mintel Comperemedia.
Media Post Marketing Daily (July 30, 2009
Insurers continue to send more direct mail to baby boomers than to younger consumers. During the 12-month period that ended in June, the average amount of health insurance direct mail going to the Generation X U.S. residents born from 1965 to 1976 was 15% lower than for baby boomers. The amount going to the Generation Y consumers born from 1977 to 1987 was 25% lower, according to researchers in the Chicago office of Mintel International Group Ltd
National Underwriter, July 29, 2009
In the 12 months ending June 2009, Gen Xers received 15% fewer health insurance marketing direct mail pieces than Boomers. Gen Y saw even fewer offers: 25% less than their parents' generation. For life insurance, the younger generations are equally ignored: Gen X and Gen Y got 18% and 23% fewer mailings, respectively, than Baby Boomers did in the past year
Insurance News Net, July 29, 2009
Want mail? Heres a simple solution: Just get older. According to new research from Mintel Comperemedia, life and health insurance marketers sent more direct mail to Baby Boomers consumers aged 45 to 63, depending on whos defining them than they did to younger Generation X and Y cohorts.
During the 12 months ending June 2009, Gen Xers received 15% fewer health insurance marketing direct mail pieces than Boomers, according to Mintel. Gen Y saw even fewer offers: 25% less than their parents generation. For life insurance, the younger generations are equally ignored: Gen X and Gen Y got 18% and 23% fewer mailings, respectively, than Baby Boomers did in the past year
Less than 10 percent of banks are offering fixed-rates promotions, according to Mintel Comperemedia, a market researcher. In 2008, 40 percent of banks pitched fixed-rate cards.
The Courier-Post, July 26, 2009
Credit-card mail, which spiked in 2006 to 8.3 billion pieces in the U.S., dropped nearly 35percent in 2008 to 5.4 billion pieces, according to Mintel Comperemedia, a Chicago firm that tracks the direct-mail industry. Direct-mail companies which used to send unsolicited mail to virtually anyone are now targeting specific customers to cut back on expenses in this difficult economy.
In a reflection of the struggling housing market, mortgage companies also have slashed mailings. Mortgage companies using traditional mail sent 203 million pieces in 2008, down 75 percent from 800 million pieces at the height of the housing boom in 2005.
Orlando Sentinel (July 22, 2009)
More than 90% of the offer letters card issuers mailed to consumers in recent months were for variable-rate cards, up from 60% in early 2008, while less than 10% were pitching fixed-rate cards, according to data from Mintel Comperemedia, a market-research firm based in Chicago.
DM intelligence provider, Mintel Comperemedia, reports that for the past six months -- after more than two years of declines -- the number of home loan offers sent to Americans has been flat. From December 2008 to May 2009, lenders sent an average of 38 million direct mailings per month, approximately 31 million for mortgages and seven million for home equity products.
Direct Marketing International Magazine, June 30, 2009
Meanwhile, Mintel Comperemedia says that auto insurers sent out nearly 3 billion direct mail offers to potential customers from the second quarter of 2008 to the first quarter of 2009.
Hartford Business Journal, June 28, 2009
After months of plummeting, mortgage and home equity marketing via direct mail campaigns is finally leveling off, and according to the Chicago-based direct marketing firm Mintel Comperemedia, this detail points to a turnaround in the housing industry.
DSNews, June 26, 2009
For the past six months -- after more than two years of declines -- the number of home loan offers sent to Americans has been flat, according to Mintel Comperemedia. From December 2008 to May 2009, lenders sent an average of 38 million direct mailings per month, approximately 31 million for mortgages and 7 million for home equity products.
MediaPost Marketing Daily. June 26, 2009
"The recession brings new challenges, like rising repair costs and more uninsured motorists, to the auto insurance industry," says Daniel Hayes, vice president of insurance services for Chicago-based Mintel Comperemedia. "Insurers realize higher rates won't bode well with cash-strapped consumers, so they're using direct mail to communicate policy changes with drivers."
MediaPost Marketing Daily. June 19, 2009
Mintel Comperemedia, a service that provides direct marketing competitive intelligence, says nearly 3 billion auto insurance direct mail offers were delivered to American mailboxes from Q2 2008 to Q1 2009. This is nearly the same number sent one year prior, despite drastic changes in the economy. To top it off, the past two years' mail volume represents a high for the industry: five years ago, auto insurers sent less than half as many offers.
Insurance News Net, June 18, 2009
Since last year, the percentage of variable rate credit cards has increased substantially. "The industry has gone almost completely to variable pricing," says Stephen Clifford, vice president of financial services with Mintel Comperemedia in Chicago. According to Clifford, about 60 percent of new card offers in the first five months of 2008 were for variable rate cards -- the remaining 40 percent of offers being for fixed rate cards that were not tied to prime. By January of this year, 90 percent of cards had variable rates.
CreditCards.com, June 18, 2009
Nevertheless, card issuers are aggressively marketing miles cards, primarily because they tend to be incredibly profitable. In the first four months of 2009, 30% of mailed credit-card offers were for miles-based programs, compared with less than 20% last year, according to research by Mintel Comperemedia, a financial services research and consulting firm.
Smart Money. June 17, 2009
Consumer services, including banking, is a hot segment for the green movement, according to research firm Mintel. A Mintel survey found that 56 percent of respondents find paperless accounts to be ecologically friendly, not just a cost-cutting ploy.
Chicago Tribune, June 16, 2009
"Health insurers are actually eager to work with the legislature on affordable, accessible health care," says Daniel Hayes, vice president of insurance services at Chicago-based Mintel Comperemedia. "But they realize that government reform will likely mean increased competition, so insurers are trying to raise the public's awareness of their plans, benefits and belief systems."
MediaPost Marketing Daily, June 12, 2009
A major shift in the kinds of direct mail that banks send out occurred last quarter, according to Mintel Comperemedia, a firm that tracks direct mail advertising.
AARP Bulletin Today, June 8, 2009
A major shift in the kinds of direct mail that banks send out occurred last quarter, according to Mintel Comperemedia, a firm that tracks direct mail advertising. A separate Mintel study, released in February, found one group that had been unaffected by these cuts: the wealthiest consumers, who continued to receive roughly the same amount of credit card mail.
The New York Times, June 7, 2009
It's already slim pickings. The number of mailed solicitations credit card issuers sent dropped 14% during the second quarter of 2008, according to market researcher Mintel Comperemedia.
Yahoo! Finance, June 1, 2009
Faced with mounting delinquencies and charge-offs, US banks have cut in half the number of credit-card solicitations they are sending out, while encouraging consumers to spend their own money - through the use of debit cards and checking accounts, according to research from Mintel.
Marketing Charts, May 26, 2009
Officials at Mintel Comperemedia say health care providers spent 18% more on direct mail over the past year as they try to enhance their image with consumers ahead of health reform legislation. "Health insurers are actually eager to work with the legislature on affordable, accessible health care," says Mintel Vice President Daniel Hayes.
Smart Brief, May 26, 2009
Acquisition direct mail to individuals and coming from health insurers increased by 18% between April 2008 and March 2009, according to market intelligence firm Mintel Comperemedia. As Congress crafts health insurance reform proposals, the increase in acquisition mail could be in anticipation of government reform, according to Daniel Hayes, VP, insurance services at Mintel.
DM News, May 22, 2009
"They are cutting back not only because they need to reduce their risk," explains Stephen Clifford, VP financial services, Mintel Comperemedia. "They are not sending offers to the riskier people that they have in the past because they need to reduce their losses."
DMNews, May 22, 2009
Surveys have shown that the majority of consumers support the option of a public health insurance plan as part of health care reform. This puts health insurers at a higher level of competition, and they are already stepping up direct mail in anticipation, according to Daniel Hayes, VP of insurance services at Mintel Comperemedia. Congress is crafting health insurance reform proposals now, but insurance companies have already been getting ready for change. The direct marketing competitive intelligence provider saw health insurers increase marketing direct mail offers to individuals by 18% in the past twelve months.
Insurance Networking News, May 22, 2009
Congress is crafting health insurance reform proposals now, but insurance companies have already been getting ready for change. Mintel Comperemedia, a service that provides direct marketing competitive intelligence, saw health insurers increase marketing direct mail offers to individuals by 18% in the past twelve months.
Insurance News Net, May 20, 2009
Mintel: 'The recession has jolted American spending.'
The state of the economy is causing more people to desist from using credit cards in an attempt to stem spending. A new consumer survey from Chicago-based market research firm Mintel found that over two in five adults (43 percent) say they're using debit cards more and credit cards less because of the recession
Ad Week, May 12, 2009
Debit cards are trumping credit cards in light of the recession, while more than a fifth of Americans (22%) are leaving both in the wallet, according to a new consumer survey from market research firm Mintel Comperemedia. An overall 83% say the economy has prompted them to change their spending habits. Nearly half (43%) of those surveyed say they are relying more on their debit cards and using credit cards less because of the recession
MediaPost Marketing Daily, May 7, 2009
Financial innovation also played a role, they say, as the industry devised new ways for Americans to borrow against their homes. One manifestation was the plethora of credit-card offers to even marginal borrowers: more than 8 billion poured through Americans' mailboxes in 2006, according to Mintel Comperemedia, a consumer-research firm.
The Economist, May 6, 2009
Susan Menke, a senior financial analyst at research company Mintel, which released its latest Teens and Finance study in January, agrees that it's a huge market that is growing quickly. "Teens are using prepaid debit and gift cards for many different reasons, including as gifts for each other," she says. "You can also put parental controls on some cards, so they appeal to parents as well."
DM News, May 4, 2009
According to Mintel Comperemedia, a direct-marketing research firm, the first quarter of 2009 is on course to see a 20 per cent drop in new credit-card offers sent to Canadian consumers. In the U.S., the decline is expected to be even steeper, at fully 47 per cent.
"While there's some benefit in limiting the extent to which consumers can get more and more into debt, it also limits purchasing power," says Stephen Clifford, vice-president of financial services at Mintel. "So, the downside is that consumers have less ability to buy things and stimulate the economy."
The Montreal Gazette, April 29, 2009
Stephen Clifford, Vice President of Financial Services at Mintel Comperemedia: "In Canada, the economy and financial system remained relatively strong last year, so banks were not forced to reduce marketing direct mail offers as substantially as in the US. Canadian banks did not face the same levels of loan losses or tightened credit that US issuers did."
ECommerce Journal, April 24, 2009
According to Mintel Comperemedia, U.S. consumers received 148.8 million solicitations in February - down two-thirds from the '07 pace.
The Philadelphia Inquirer, April 11, 2009
When it comes to declining balances, analysts say cardholders are largely the culprit. "This is not coming all from the credit card companies. Consumers are cutting back," says Susan Menke, senior financial services analyst with Mintel International in Chicago, explaining that an industrywide tightening of credit can't alone account for February's sizable decline in card balances.
"I think it's just a general mood -- people are cutting back," Menke says. "If they don't do it, credit card companies are going to do it for them."
CreditCards.com, April 7, 2009
In 2008, banks registered a 57% increase in their use of direct mail to sell additional products and services to current customers, according to research by Mintel Comperemedia. The previous year had seen a 48% decline in such mailings. "Clearly, there was a major shift in strategy," stated Stephen Clifford, vice president of financial services, Mintel Comperemedia.
MediaPost Marketing Daily, April 3, 2009
While overall direct mail volume plummeted from most financial services companies during 2008, there was a 19 percent increase in homeowners insurance direct mail sent to acquire new customers, market research suggests.
Mintel Comperemedia, a direct marketing research firm, tracked 82 million homeowners' insurance offers during 2008, up from 69 million in 2007. Estimated mail volume for new customer acquisition rose steadily through the year to a peak in August when insurers sent more than 10 million marketing direct mail offers promoting homeowners insurance to consumers
The Business Ledger, April 1, 2009
Consumers are being bombarded with more direct mail and email from their banks, according to new data from market research from Mintel Comperemedia. As the credit crises caught many financial institutions in its grip, banks appeared to be trying to maximize revenue from existing customers.
During 2008, banks increased direct mail offers cross-selling additional products and services to current clients by 57 percent from 2007. Over the same time period, marketing direct mail offers sent by banks to lure in non-customers rose just seven percent
Consumer Affairs, March 30, 2009
Mintel study found that 55% of Mass Affluents have cut down or deferred overall spending due to the recession. Only 48% say they currently "feel financially secure." That figure is just 36% of Hispanic Mass Affluents. Mintel noted that the Mass Affluents rely on credit cards for more than half of all their purchases, and as might be expected, spend "significantly more" than the average consumer
Market Watch, March 27, 2009
Although the bulk of banks' direct marketing spend is still devoted to acquiring new customers, banks are paying more attention to existing customers via direct mail and e-mail, according to a new report from Mintel Comperemedia.
During 2008, banks increased direct mail offers cross-selling additional products and services to current clients by 57% over 2007. During the same period, acquisition direct mail rose 7%. E-mail cross-selling also increased. Cross-sell e-mails tracked through Mintel Comperemedia's e-mail panel rose from a 2% share of banking e-mail in 2007 to a 5% share in 2008.
DM News, March 27, 2009
More than three-fourths (78%) of "mass affluent" consumers in the US have not changed their credit-card payment behavior because of the recession, but Hispanics and younger members of this well-to-do group are most likely to say they have, according to a report from Mintel. The research reveals that the majority of mass affluents (62%) pay off the balances on all their credit cards each month. Only a small minority (5%) pay the minimum amount due.
MarketingCharts.com, March 26, 2009
Not surprisingly, credit card and mortgage service solicitations dropped the most sharply, falling 21.8 percent and 38.8 percent in volume respectively, according to Mintel Comperemedia, a direct-mail tracking firm.
The New York Times, March 22, 2009
A new survey has found that "Mass Affluent" consumers (78%) have not changed their credit card payment behavior in the last 12 months, despite economic turmoil in the country. Of Mass Affluent respondents who changed their payment behavior, Chicago-based Mintel found that 11% formerly paid credit card balances in full each month but now don't, while 11% are now making smaller monthly payments. Younger "Mass Affluent" consumers, especially those under age 45, are more likely to be making smaller payments each month. Hispanics too have been harder hit by the economy, and 50% of "Mass Affluent" Hispanics say they've changed their payment behavior. Though most "Mass Affluents" are paying off their credit card bills each month, Mintel found that many feel deeply affected by the faltering economy.
Card Flash, March 19, 2009
According to research firm Mintel Comperemedia, mail volumes dropped 12 percent in 2008 across nine verticals. More specifically, the highest drops were in: mortgage and loans, 38.8 percent; credit cards, 21.8 percent; technology, 16.6 percent; and automotive, 9.4 percent. Other verticals dropped less than 5 percent.
Response Magazine, March 18, 2009
The wise financial habits that helped Mass Affluent* Americans achieve their wealth seem to be helping them withstand the recession too. A new report from market research firm Mintel reveals that most Mass Affluent consumers (78%) have not changed their credit card payment behavior in the last 12 months, despite economic turmoil in the country...
Forbes.com, March 18, 2009
Not everyone agrees that consumers are simply turning to credit as a last resort. The January increase in revolving credit "is probably a temporary blip due to some bargain hunting, and a general feeling of burnout from negative news about the economy," says Susan Menke, senior financial services analyst with Mintel International in Chicago." Even with the bad employment report today, we are still at 92 percent employment -- so people do have money to spend if they choose to," Menke says via e-mail.
CreditCards.com, March 6, 2009
Winterberry, citing data from Mintel Comperemedia, said mail volume slid 12.1% last year in industries including telecommunications, insurance, banking, investments, travel/leisure, automotive, technology, credit cards and mortgage and loans.
Advertising Age, March 3, 2009
While overall direct mail volume plummeted from most financial services companies during 2008, mail from homeowners insurance providers increased volume by 19%, according to a survey by Mintel Comperemedia, which provides direct marketing competitive intelligence
"An insurance product is something most consumers feel they need to have," Hayes says. "Compared to the credit card industry, where [a consumer] can have six [different cards], you only need one policy, so it's very competitive. Insurance companies are trying to maintain their relationships with that consumer, and direct mail is a strong way to do that."
DM News, March 2, 2009
The volume of secured credit card offers has seen a precipitous drop in recent years. "The decline in secured card offers is substantially greater than the overall decline in credit card mail offers in total," says Stephen Clifford, vice president of financial services for Mintel Comperemedia, a marketing research firm based in Chicago.
His company estimates that the number of mailed secured card offers plummeted from 122 million offers in 2001 to less than a million offers in 2008 while the volume of credit card solicitations mailed to U.S. households sank by about 18 percent during that same time period, from 6.7 billion credit card offers to 5.4 billion offers. Secured card direct mail volume fell by 58 percent from 2007 to 2008.
Bankrate.com, March 2, 2009
A new survey from Mintel shows nearly 80 percent consider themselves knowledgeable about financial matters. But the Federal Reserve's 2008 test of high school seniors resulted in an average financial literacy score of 48 percent - a drop of four percentage points from 2006's average. Mintel's latest survey also revealed that many teens want to learn more about managing money...
Consumer Affairs, March 2, 2009
Susan Menke, a senior financial services analyst at the market research firm Mintel International Group Ltd., said schools are not doing enough to teach teenagers how to manage their money. Discover and other issuers that provide financial management tools can help fill the gap, she said.
Teenagers are not as financially literate as they think, she said. In an October survey of 411 people ages 12 to 17, 79% said they thought they were knowledgeable about basic financial concepts. However, a Federal Reserve Board test periodically given to high school seniors reveals that many lack basic financial literacy. Last year they scored an average of 48% on the test, versus 52% in 2006.
American Banker., February 27, 2009
Acquisition direct mail from homeowners' insurance providers rose 19% to 82 million pieces in 2008, according to market research firm Mintel Comperemedia. Estimated mail volume for new customer acquisition rose steadily through the year to a peak in August when insurers sent more than 10 million prospecting pieces, said Mintel.
DIRECT, February 20, 2009
The companies sent out the fewest direct mail credit-card offers to Americans last year since at least 2000, when Mintel Comperemedia began tracking the data, the market research firm said this month. Lenders sent out 5.4 billion of the letters, down about 26 percent from 2007.
Bloomberg, February 19, 2009
Only 5.4 billion credit card direct mail offers were sent to Americans in 2008, the lowest annual total since 2000, according to new data from Mintel Comperemedia, a service that tracks direct marketing strategies. In response to 2008's severe economic challenges, most credit card issuers altered their direct marketing strategies significantly, causing new card mail volume to fall 26 percent from 2007. Mintel Comperemedia estimates 2007 mail volume at 7.4 billion. In 2006, it was 8.3 billion.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, February 6, 2009
Only 5.4 billion credit card direct mail offers were sent to Americans in 2008, the lowest annual total the firm has reported since 2000 and a 26% drop from 2008 totals, according to Mintel Comperemedia. In addition, the number of new credit card mail prospecting offers dropped steadily throughout last year: they dropped 8% between the first and second quarters, 13% between the second and third and 33% from the third quarter on, said Mintel.
DIRECT Magazine, February 5, 2009
Stephen Clifford , vice-president of Mintel Comperemedia, a company which tracks direct mail and print advertising, says it is not unusual to receive such a high amount of credit card offers. "He is probably getting a lot of offers because he has a very good credit score. He and his wife together, they both have very good credit," said Clifford.
ABC 7 News, January 30, 2009
"It's not typical, but it's also not unprecedented," said Stephen Clifford, vice president of financial services for Chicago-based Mintel Comperemedia. The company, which monitors direct mail and e-mail marketing, finds that most households average two or three solicitations per month. "My guess is this gentleman and his wife have very good credit card scores and so they will be in the sweet spot," Clifford said.
Nationally, the number of credit card offers sent to consumers declined to a three-year low by the third quarter of 2008 because of the faltering economy, according to Mintel. The financial giants sent a mere 1.34 billion mailings during that quarter, a 28 percent drop from the same period in 2007.
Chicago Tribune, January 27, 2009
A new report by Mintel Comperemedia says the volume of new-customer acquisition mailings for banks, credit cards, investment firms and mortgages/loans declined 26 percent in the first 11 months of last year vs. the same period in 2007. Measured against the same period in 2006, the decline was even steeper, at 32 percent.
Brandweek, January 23, 2009
In the third quarter, credit card offers by mail were down nearly 30 percent from the year before, said Stephen Clifford, vice president of financial services at the Chicago mail and advertising tracker Mintel Comperemedia. "Issuers are being much more selective about who they mail offers of credit to," Clifford said. "They're really focusing on people with strong credit. Secondly, they're containing costs. They're spending less on the marketing."
The San Francisco Chronicle, January 22, 2009
Financial services direct mail volume for 2008 fell 25% from 2007 levels, according to a report issued today by Mintel Comperemedia. For the first 11 months of 2008, the direct marketing tracking firm estimated financial services direct mail volume at 10.3 billion. In 2007, Mintel estimated that volume at 13.9 billion. Furthermore, when compared to the same period of 2006, the 2008 11-month total shows a 32% decline, according to the report.
DM News, January 22, 2009
Issuers are notifying card members of changes in their reward programs through letters or inserts in their monthly statements, says Stephen Clifford, vice president of financial services at Mintel Comperemedia, which estimated that offers to new customers dropped 29% in the third quarter from year-earlier levels. Meanwhile, reward programs are also getting squeezed by the airlines, many of which are raising the mileage thresholds required to redeem for free flights.
The Wall Street Journal, January 12, 2009
Mortgage direct mailings declined 57% from the first quarter of 2007 to the first quarter of 2008, according to the Chicago-based mail and advertising tracker Mintel Comperemedia. And credit card offers by mail sagged 28% from the third quarter of 2007 to the third quarter of 2008, dropping to their lowest point in more than three years.
TIME, January 8, 2009
In the third quarter, credit card offers were down 30 percent from the year before. That's according to data from the tracking firm Mintel Comperemedia. "Lenders and credit card issuers need to be more selective about who they're mailing offers to, so that's down," says Stephen Clifford, a Mintel vice president. Plus, he says direct-mail marketing isn't cheap. "You send less mail, you spend less money," he says.
NPR, January 6, 2009
And, those 0% or teaser interest rate offers are going to get shorter, said Stephen Clifford, vice president of Mintel Comperemedia, a Chicago direct-marketing research company. But, Clifford said, expect additional rewards or points to promote certain behavior. A higher level of credit-card usage, for example, might trigger more bonus rewards. "Card companies are still mailing out offers," Clifford said, "but they're selective with whom they're mailing the offers to."
Wall Street Journal MarketWatch, January 6, 2009
In October consumer card acquisition mailings by U.S. issuers fell almost 50% from a year earlier, to about 361 million pieces, according to the Chicago market research firm Mintel International Group Ltd. Since last summer issuers' use of the much cheaper alternative of e-mail acquisition marketing has fallen just as dramatically, according to Mintel.
"Issuers are being selective about who they're mailing new offers to, but I don't expect them to stop going after new customers completely," said Stephen Clifford, Mintel's vice president of financial services. He also said that direct mail volume could level off this year.
American Banker, January 5, 2009
More financial companies are using direct mail to deliver bad news to their cardholders, according to Mintel Comperemedia...
Insurance News Net, January 5, 2009
Mintel Comperemedia, a service that provides direct marketing competitive intelligence, reports many credit card issuers are using direct mail to inform cardholders about big changes in account terms, conditions and fees... The practice has become increasingly widespread because of the worsening economic crisis. "With no clear end in sight for the recession and other economic troubles, many companies are altering the terms of their products and services so they can stay profitable, protect their assets and reduce their risks," said Stephen Clifford, VP of financial services for Mintel Comperemedia.
Examiner, December 31, 2008
Banks are also likely to feel the continued pinch as they are unable to sell loans. "If we don't have secondary markets, we don't have as much credit available," says Susan Menke, senior financial services analyst with Mintel International in Chicago. Card issuers' balance sheets get thrown out of whack since they can't carry loans on their books. Banks "can't sell them and can't hold them," Menke says.
CreditCards.com, December 30, 2008
The credit crunch engulfing the U.S. economy, in some ways, has missed some pockets of society. When market research company Mintel surveyed more than 3,000 consumers, 1,000 businesses and 1,000 email users about credit card offers received in the mail during the third quarter, it estimated nearly 55% of 1.507 billion offers sent to non-customers went to people 50 and over. The data clearly show that the 50-and-over crowd has been getting the most solicitations for several years.
TheStreet.com, December 26, 2008
Mintel Comperemedia, which provides research on direct marketing trends, is warning consumers to pay attention to mailings from their credit card companies because these days, they often contain big news of account closings, lowered credit limits, or higher rates and fees.
Specific examples cited by Mintel included:
Citibank--a mailing informed a cardholder of a lowered credit line because the consumer was "only using a small portion of the available credit."
Chase and Capital One--letters informed cardholders about increased fees and new fee-calculation methods.
Bank of America, Discover, Wells Fargo and GE Money Bank--used direct marketing to alert customers to interest rate changes.
MediaPost Marketing Daily, December 26, 2008
Mintel Comperemedia, a provider of direct marketing competitive intelligence, reports that many credit card issuers are communicating big changes in account terms, conditions and fees to their clients through direct mail.
"In recent months, we've seen many marketing direct mail pieces inform cardholders of new, notable changes to their accounts," said Stephen Clifford, VP of Financial Services for Mintel Comperemedia. "With no clear end in sight for the recession and other economic troubles, many companies are altering the terms of their products and services so they can stay profitable, protect their assets and reduce their risks."
Consumer Affairs, December 24, 2008
Don't toss that letter from your credit card company quite yet. Mintel Comperemedia reports that many credit card issuers are communicating big changes in account terms, conditions and fees to their clients through direct mail.
Risk Center, December 23, 2008
Fearful of taking on more risk in today's economic environment, banks are choosing to focus on keeping current credit card customers rather than acquiring new ones, according to direct mail data from Chicago-based Mintel Comperemedia.
Mintel's data shows that banks are sending more mail, but fewer credit card mailings. Although direct mail offers from banks (such as for checking accounts) to both existing and potential customers climbed to 342 million in the third quarter from 306 million in the second quarter and 315 million a year earlier, Mintel saw credit card mail volume fall to 1.86 billion from 2.04 billion in the second quarter and 2.44 billion one year before, stemming from a decline in credit card mail offers.
CreditCards.com, December 2, 2008
Data show that mail volume for banking acquisitions grew 8%, to 290 million pieces, from the second to the third quarter this year, according to direct-mail tracker Mintel Comperemedia. Mintel researchers found several direct-marketing trends by smaller local banks in response to the economic crisis, including touting safety and security; advertising "buy back" programs offering to purchase checks and debit cards from new customers' old banks; and connecting to the community through school-based donations programs and incentives, a Mintel spokeswoman said.
Advertising Age, December 1, 2008
The research, from Mintel Comperemedia (via MarketingCharts) found that banks sent approximately 53 million retention-related offers to their customers during Q3, almost twice the number sent in Q3 2007 (29 million). This sharp increase in retention direct mail demonstrates that banks are relying heavily on direct marketing to communicate with and reassure their customers in uncertain economic times, Mintel said.
Media Buyer Planner, December 1, 2008
Banks are fighting bad news headlines with messages of their own in the form of direct marketing. According to Mintel Comperemedia, the country's banks sent 42% more direct mail solicitations in the third quarter of the year than they did during the second quarter. Moreover, the 53 million offers sent during the third quarter of 2008 was nearly twice the number sent during the same period in 2007.
MediaPost Marketing Daily, November 28, 2008
Dwindling budgets haven't stopped banks from reaching out to clients through direct mail. During the third quarter of 2008, Mintel Comperemedia reports that the estimated number of banking direct mail offers sent to current customers rose 42 percent from the second quarter.
Banks sent approximately 53 million offers to their customers during the third quarter of 2008, almost twice the number seen a year earlier. This sharp increase in retention direct mail comes on the heels of the worst financial crisis in years...
Consumer Affairs, November 25, 2008
In recent months, credit cards have become more difficult to get. According to Mintel Comperemedia, a marketing research firm, 1.34 billion credit card direct-mail offers were made in the third quarter, down 13 percent from the previous quarter and 28 percent from a year earlier.
Washington Post, November 25, 2008
Stockings may not be as stuffed this year, as new research from Mintel reports that three in five Americans (60%) say they're trying to stick to a budget more this year than they were last year. In an exclusive consumer survey done to understand budget shopping habits, Mintel found that over half of people in all income groups are trying to budget their money more than they did in 2007...
Market Watch, November 25, 2008
Dwindling budgets haven't stopped banks from reaching out to clients through direct mail. During the third quarter of 2008, Mintel Comperemedia reports that the estimated number of banking direct mail offers sent to current customers rose 42 percent from the second quarter.
Banks sent approximately 53 million offers to their customers during the third quarter of 2008, almost twice the number seen a year earlier. This sharp increase in retention direct mail comes on the heels of the worst financial crisis in years.
Consumer Affairs, November 25, 2008
Dwindling budgets haven't stopped banks from reaching out to clients through direct mail. During the third quarter of 2008, Mintel Comperemedia reports that the estimated number of banking direct mail offers sent to current customers rose 42% from Q2.
Street Insider, November 25, 2008
In recent months, credit cards have become more difficult to get. According to Mintel Comperemedia, a marketing research firm, 1.34 billion credit card direct-mail offers were made in the third quarter, down 13 percent from the previous quarter and 28 percent from a year earlier.
Washington Post, November 25, 2008
Direct mail offers sent by banks to current customers rose 42% in the third quarter when compared to the second quarter, according to new research from Mintel Comperemedia. The sharp increase in retention direct mail can be attributed to banks' efforts to communicate with and reassure their customers on the heels of the worst financial crisis in years...
DM News, November 24, 2008
Fewer consumers are now getting courted for credit cards. According to Mintel Comperemedia, a marketing-research firm based in Chicago, 1.34 billion credit-card direct-mail offers were sent out in the third quarter, down 13 percent from the previous quarter and 28 percent from a year earlier...
The Seattle Times, November 21, 2008
According to LISA HRONEK at the media intelligence company Mintel Comperemedia, the volume of credit card solicitations dropped by 13 percent in the third quarter compared to the previous three months and is down by as much 28 percent from a year earlier.
Still, companies shipped 1.34 billion card offerings to Americans between July and September of 2008. Hronek says businesses actually began scaling back direct mail marketing long before the current economic meltdown because they haven't increased the percentage of sign-ups or usage.
WGNS Radio, November 20, 2008
Susan Menke, an economist and financial services industry analyst at Mintel Comperemedia in Chicago, downplayed the significance of the latest delinquency data. "If you look at the longer term trend, it's been upward since Q4 2006. We have to wait until the revised figures come out. I'm really hearing nothing but negative news from everybody."
CreditCards.com, November 18, 2008
Fewer consumers are now getting courted. According to Mintel Comperemedia, a marketing research firm, 1.34 billion credit card direct mail offers were sent out in the third quarter, down 13 percent from the previous quarter and 28 percent from a year earlier.
Washington Post, November 14, 2008
Banks' aggressive promotions to attract deposits are a sign of the times, says Diana Sheehan, director of research at Mintel, which tracks direct mail and print advertising. But consumers should read the fine print before they move their money, she adds, because "big, really catchy perks are often tied to very big balances."
USA Today, November 8, 2008
As people cut back, another study by Mintel Comperemedia shows credit card companies are helping consumers with that task as the number of credit card mail offers dropped to its lowest point in three years. In 2005 and 2006, Mintel found that an average of 2.07 billion credit card offers were mailed quarterly. But last quarter, only 1.34 billion were mailed, illustrating a 28 percent drop from a year earlier.
Lisa Hronek, senior credit card analyst for the company, said the massive scale back is due to the economic crisis, but that offers declined long before the economy was on all our minds.
CreditCards.com, November 7, 2008
Home-equity credit mailings dropped 66 percent in the third quarter this year to 72.9 million, compared with 215 million in the same period last year, according to market research firm Mintel Comperemedia. Mortgage mailings dropped 44 percent to 182.4 million from 324.1 million in same period last year.
Among large institutions, Citibank and Charles Schwab cut back the most, reducing 98 and 95 percent, respectively, of their consumer-banking solicitations in the third quarter of this year compared with the second, according to Mintel. Bank of America mailed 49 percent fewer credit card offers and HSBC, one of the first banks to announce big subprime write-offs in the housing crisis, sent 44 percent less.
For average American households, Mintel analysts estimate, the trend points to more room in their mailboxes. Last quarter, for example, 8.3 fewer pieces of credit card junk mail showed up compared with the same period in 2005.
The Washington Post, November 7, 2008
The number of credit card offers sent to Americans has declined to its lowest point in over three years, punctuating the extreme credit tightening by banks amid the tumultuous financial and housing crisis. Credit card acquisition offers mailed to Americans totaled only 1.34 billion during the third quarter, representing a 28 percent drop from one year earlier, according to Mintel Comperemedia, which monitors and analyzes trends in direct mail, e-mail and print advertising.
Forbes.com, November 6, 2008
Mintel Comperemedia says that the total estimated volume for credit-card acquisition offers mailed in the third quarter was just 1.34 billion--a 13% decline from the second quarter, and a 28% drop from the same quarter a year ago.
over three years, punctuating the extreme credit tightening by banks amid the tumultuous financial and housing crisis. Credit card acquisition offers mailed to Americans totaled only 1.34 billion during the third quarter, representing a 28 percent drop from one year earlier, according to Mintel Comperemedia, which monitors and analyzes trends in direct mail, e-mail and print advertising.
Media Post Marketing Daily, November 6, 2008
And mailboxes are no longer quite so full of new card offers: Chase, Bank of America, and HSBC each reduced its direct mail efforts more than 15% in the first quarter of 2008, according to market research firm Mintel. Given that credit card issuers are under increased scrutiny from legislators, that trend is likely to continue.
FOX Business, November 1, 2008
"On a very basic level, people are feeling credit crunch-ed out," states Susan Menke, senior financial services analyst at Mintel. "The financial crisis is all we've heard about, read about and thought about for weeks. Add that to the fact that many people truly are struggling financially and you've got a nation looking for some relief and distraction."
DMA, October 31, 2008
And lenders, over all, are slowing the flood of mail offers to a trickle with moves that would translate for the average American household into about 13 fewer pieces of credit card junk mail a year than its peak in 2005. Mail offers to new and existing customers are on pace to drop below 8.4 billion pieces, the lowest level since 2004, according to Mintel Comperemedia, a direct marketing research firm.
"Credit card issuers have realized their market is shrinking and that there is no room for extra credit cards, so they have to scale back," said Lisa Hronek, a research analyst at Mintel. "People are completely maxed out with mortgages, home equity lines and credit card debt."
The New York Times, October 28, 2008
The number of credit card offers mailed to Americans has declined for the past three quarters, according to Mintel Comperemedia. Estimated acquisition mail volume for credit cards fell nearly 8% from the first to second quarter this year.
DM News, October 24, 2008
In today's tight credit world, the number of these kinds of credit offers is falling rapidly. Banks mailed about 1.8 billion offers for secured and unsecured loans during the first six months of this year, down 33 percent from the same period in 2006, according to Mintel Comperemedia, a tracking firm.
The New York Times, October 22, 2008
According to Susan Menke, senior financial services analyst at Mintel, switching to environmentally friendly practices not only saves money by cutting down on paper costs, but can effortlessly build up goodwill among customers at a time when many are distrustful of the entire financial services industry. "This is one small thing banks can do to rebuild that trust," Menke tells Marketing Daily. "It builds better feelings among people."
MediaPost Marketing Daily, October 21, 2008
Success in today's economy definitely isn't black and white. In fact, adding a bit of "green" can help financial services companies stay current, even as the market shakes and business plans stumble. Mintel Comperemedia, a service that tracks direct marketing and print advertising, observes more financial services companies going green in recent months. Because green marketing and eco-business tactics can save companies money and help them attract new customers, Mintel expert Susan Menke thinks this is a wise strategy.
DMA, October 16, 2008
... a recent survey by Mintel Comperemedia showed that Hispanics welcome e-mail promotions more times per month than non-Hispanics (11 times vs. 7.4 times). Companies that want to connect with Hispanic consumers, or get more from their existing e-mail program, should consider targeting e-mail campaigns to U.S. Hispanics.
DM News, October 14, 2008
Lisa Hronek, an analyst with Chicago-based Mintel International, said her firm has tracked a reduction in direct mail credit card offerings for three consecutive quarters, ending with the second quarter of 2008. Mintel is a global supplier of consumer, product and media intelligence. Its survey of trends for the third quarter was not available.
"Consumers don't have the resources to take on any more debt," Hronek said, summing up the reason banks have reduced efforts to broaden their credit card account portfolios. She hopes consumers will not forget these problems when the economy rebounds, and will make more prudent borrowing decisions.
Connecticut Post, October 14, 2008
That's the conclusion of a Chicago market-research firm that thinks Echo Boomers (currently under 30 years old), Hispanics, Asians and African-Americans will be the ones to pump life back into the first-time buyer market ... eventually.
Mintel International Group Ltd. says that as home prices fall, the aforementioned groups-who largely missed the boat during the boom because ballooning prices put real estate out of reach-will want to snap them up, especially if they have no existing home to sell first.
The researchers said that not only are those groups growing in sheer numbers, they're eager to buy. Though just 23 percent of the general population plans to buy a home in the next five years, the numbers are far stronger among young adults and minorities.
That's not to say the researchers are unaware of how the economy and current tight lending standards might sink even the most earnest dream.
"We phrased the question, did they plan to buy in the next five years, but it might be more accurate to say they hoped to be buying," said Susan Menke, a senior financial-services analyst with Mintel.
Chicago Tribune, October 5, 2008
And mailboxes are no longer quite so full of new card offers: Chase, Bank of America, and HSBC each reduced its direct mail efforts more than 15 percent in the first quarter of 2008, according to market research firm Mintel.
Inc.com, October 1, 2008
The number of mailed solicitations credit card issuers sent dropped 14% during the second quarter of 2008, according to market researcher Mintel Comperemedia.
Smart Money, September 30, 2008
According to new research from Mintel Comperemedia, the estimated mail volume for credit card offers fell nearly 8% from Q1 2008 to Q2 2008, from 1.67 billion to 1.54 billion. Credit card direct mail offers, sent to enroll new customers, have declined steadily since Q3 2007, when Mintel Comperemedia estimates total volume reached 1.86 billion pieces. The mail volume estimated for Q2 2008 represents a 17% decline from Q3's high
"Cutbacks in direct marketing are part of the financial institutions' plan to ride this through," [Lisa Hronek] said. "We see notably less credit card and mortgage offers as companies figure out key messaging, services and products for today's anxious, weary consumer."
DM News, September 29, 2008
Despite the difficult economic climate surrounding mortgages and mortgage lending, there is an opportunity for banks to build their businesses by taking a long-term approach with young adults and minority home buyers.
According to Mintel, Echo Boomers (those aged 13-30), African-American and Hispanic consumers plan to buy a house within the next five years. While only 23% of the general population intends to buy a house in that time frame, 38% of adults 18-24 and 39% of adults 25-34 said they will. Across all age groups, 42% of Asians, 37% of African-Americans and 30% of Hispanics say they will buy a home in the next five years, compared with 20% of whites.
MediaPost Marketing Daily, September 15, 2008
The housing boom of 2004 and 2005 led to a bust that's worse than most expected. Home prices are still falling, foreclosures rising, and homeownership rates are starting to drop. Still, global market research firm Mintel, headquartered in Chicago, says it sees golden opportunities in this dismal market in young adults and minorities. Mintel's latest mortgage report suggests Echo Boomers (currently aged 13-30) and Hispanic, Asian, and Black Americans will be key to the real estate market's turnaround...
DSNews.com, September 10, 2008
The firm Mintel Comperemedia estimated, based on its research, that credit card offers dropped 8% from the first to second quarter of this year (from 1.67 billion card offers to 1.54 card offers).
"Undoubtedly, this is a symptom of the global credit crunch," said Lisa Hronek, senior analyst at Mintel. "Record losses from the subprime fallout and rising delinquencies have squeezed issuers' credit so tight, they're tapping out. Add that to the fact that consumers' credit is already stretched, and you're left with a tough market for credit card issuers."
Credit Union Times, September 3, 2008
Married wealthy women want to be treated as equal partners in terms of financial decisions when they meet with financial advisers, according to a study from Mintel International Group Ltd. released exclusively to InvestmentNews. The data showed that 81% of high-net-worth women were married, and most made their financial decisions in tandem with their husbands...
I was really interested to see how confident women are," said Susan Menke, Chicago-based senior financial services analyst for Mintel, which is based in London..."You have to be careful," Ms. Menke said. "They don't see themselves as just wives and mothers, but they see themselves as the roles they've accomplished with their careers."
Investment News, September 2, 2008
The volume of mailed solicitations for credit cards dropped steeply in the second quarter of this year, with 14 percent fewer pitches sent than in the same period last year, according to Mintel Comperemedia, a marketing research company
"I think this reflects a return to safer customers," said Lisa Hronek, a senior analyst at Mintel. Lenders, she said, are "trying to stem the tide of what they're losing from credit card delinquencies, and they're being more cautious about who they're giving their money to."
The New York Times, August 31, 2008
A survey by Mintel International Group Ltd. said that 77% of online consumers have no interest in receiving their pay on a payroll card. Thirty-nine percent said using their standard debit and credit cards is more convenient; 31% said they prefer using cash or checks for purchases; and 28% said they would be afraid of losing the card. The survey of 2,000 U.S. adults with Internet access was done in April.
Bank Technology News, August 29, 2008
Credit unions might find their card marketing a little easier because the number of credit card offers from rival issuing banks continued to drop, according to a market research firm. The firm Mintel Comperemedia estimated, based on its research, that credit card offers dropped 8% from the first to second quarter of this year (from 1.67 billion card offers to 1.54 card offers).
Credit Union Times, August 26, 2008
New research from media monitoring service Mintel Comperemedia shows that United States banks continued to mail fewer credit card offers during the April to June period, for the third-consecutive quarterly decline. The estimated number of credit card offers mailed in the second quarter was down nearly 8 percent from the first quarter, Mintel says.
CreditCards.com, August 20, 2008
Now on to new research that shows credit card direct mail offers have declined for the third consecutive quarter, an 8-percent drop. Mintel International, which provides consumer research to industries, says thank the global credit crunch for the decline. It says with consumer credit already stretched thin, credit card companies are cutting back on direct marketing. However you may still get mailings, credit card companies did send out one-and-a-half billion solicitations in the second quarter of this year.
NBC 4, August 19, 2008
Lisa Hronek, a senior analyst with Mintel Comperemedia, blamed the credit crunch, which has forced credit card firms to pull back on marketing directed at obtaining new customers. "It makes sense that they're pulling back and only hitting the best customers," she said.
Brandweek, August 19, 2008
The number of credit card offers mailed to Americans has declined for the third consecutive quarter, according to new research from Mintel Comperemedia. Estimated acquisition mail volume for credit cards fell nearly 8% from Q1 2008 to Q2 2008 (from 1.67 billion to 1.54 billion).
Houston Chronicle, August 18, 2008
For the third straight quarter, the number of credit card solicitations mailed to Americans has declined. Acquisition mailings dropped from 1.67 billion pieces in this year's first quarter to 1.54 billion in the second quarter, according to Mintel Comperemedia.
DIRECT, August 18, 2008
"The actual risk of having your identity stolen online is not as high as many people think," said Susan Menke, senior analyst at Mintel, in a statement. "Financial services companies are trying to reassure consumers, but their marketing messages aren't sticking. Companies need to find innovative new ways to convince Americans that their identities are secure online and when using e-mail."
eWeek, August 16, 2008
Wealthy consumers are more likely to conduct their banking at a branch than they are through any automated channel, according to a report the Chicago market research firm Mintel International Group Ltd. released this week. According to the Mintel report that 66% of the mass affluent said last year that they handled some of their everyday banking transactions in person
American Banker, August 14, 2008
Thanks to a continued slump in the housing market and consumer anxiety, mortgage and home equity lenders have backed away from making direct mail solicitations--cutting their mailings by 50% over the first half of this year compared to the same period last year, according to Mintel Comperemedia.
MediaPost Marketing Daily, August 14, 2008
Susan Menke, a senior financial services analyst at the market research firm Mintel International Group Ltd., said it is hard to tell whether banks are more actively pursuing this market, since credit card mail solicitations are down overall this year.
A search of Mintel's database found 52 issuers that targeted students through print, direct mail, and e-mail advertisements between January and June. A search for the same period in 2006 returned 72 issuers. However, Ms. Menke said, "the student market is huge" and of "increasing interest."
American Banker, August 14, 2008
New data from Mintel Comperemedia shows mortgage and home equity lenders still plagued by faltering home sales, credit woes and consumer anxiety. The direct marketing-tracking firm reports that these lenders have reduced direct mail by 50% when comparing the first six months of 2008 to the first six months of 2007.
Originator Times, August 13, 2008
Don't even think about a lease. You know the story on real estate loans. Even those credit card offers are drying up. Direct mail researcher Mintel says mailings for new cards are down 20 percent this year.
PBS Nightly Business Report, August 13, 2008
That may be true, says Susan Menke, senior financial services analyst Mintel International in Chicago, but the use of credit cards may be so culturally ingrained that even economic woes have little impact on the decision to charge. "People are just used to using their credit cards. It's the culture that we're living in and I don't know if you can eliminate that completely," Menke says. "People are still spending discretionarily, they're just spending less."
CreditCards.com, August 7, 2008
New research among teens and their parents concludes that prepaid debit cards can help kids maintain a "cool" status while making payments easier, providing payment security and control for parents. According to Mintel Comperemedia 62% of parents are interested in having their children use a prepaid debit card rather than a credit card.
Card Trak, August 5, 2008
For the teen who wants it all, a prepaid debit card may be the answer, says Mintel. Conveying "cool" status and making payments easier, prepaid cards also offer security and control for parents. A new report from Mintel suggests teenagers-and their parents-could be a lucrative target for prepaid debit cards.
Houston Chronicle, August 3, 2008
Americans are increasingly worried about the safety of their identities and financial information online, according to new research from Mintel. However, identity theft is actually on the decline, Mintel said. Nearly two-thirds of US adults (65%) are more concerned about online security now than they were five years ago and more than a quarter (28%) say they are "significantly" more concerned.
MarketingVOX, July 29, 2008
As the nation becomes more wired, a recently released Mintel research report finds Americans have growing concerns over identify theft and online security issues. In a recent consumer survey, a Mintel report found that two-thirds of adults (65 percent) are more concerned about online security now than they were five years ago. Of those polled, 28 percent said they were "significantly" concerned.
Convenience Store News, July 14, 2008
In the wake of a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on online advertising and privacy, Mintel has released survey data revealing Americans are more concerned than they were 5 years ago about online security.
--65% are more concerned than they were 5 years ago
--28% are significantly more concerned than they were five years ago
Search Engine Watch Blog, July 10, 2008
Americans are ever more preoccupied with the safety of their identities and financial information online, a study reveals. 65 percent of adults claim their concerns about online security have reached a higher degree than five years ago. 28 percent claim they are "significantly" more preoccupied with this issue.
ePayment News, July 10, 2008
New research from Mintel shows that Americans are increasingly worried about the safety of their identities and financial information online. In a recent consumer survey, Mintel found that two-thirds of adults (65%) are more concerned about online security now than they were five years ago. Over a quarter (28%) of respondents to Mintel's survey say they are "significantly" more concerned.
Forbes.com, July 9, 2008
SAS Visual Data Discovery will allow Mintel's business analysts to clarify results before taking action," said Chris Tinnon, Custom Solutions Architect at Mintel. "We can browse and rearrange data at will, using point and click to visually subset data, animate reports and drill down to underlying data. SAS Visual Data Discovery hit a grand slam with its exploratory data analysis and interactive data visualization.
Business Intelligence Network, July 7, 2008
According to research by Mintel Comperemedia, the top credit card mailers in 2007 were Chase, Bank of America and HSBC. This year, those three alone have cut their direct mailings by 15%. It seems the companies are re-assessing their marketing strategies to credit-stretched consumers and saving a lot of postage in the process.
KING 5 News, June 26, 2008
According to the Chicago-based research firm Mintel Comperemedia, credit card direct mail volume has dropped 19 percent since last October. Last year, credit card issuers cut their mailings to current customers by nearly one-third (30 percent). That will free up delivery space for the junk mail we enjoy receiving: coupons.
Fox Business News, June 25, 2008
Zero-balance teaser rate offers have fallen by about 15 percent over the last year, according to Mintel Comperemedia, a marketing research company.
New York Times, June 21, 2008
Today, the mix of high-rate debt and meager home equity has squeezed consumers - and threatens to prolong the economic slowdown. Those are the findings of a USA TODAY investigation, based on analyses of credit card data from Equifax credit bureau, Moody's Economy.com, Synovate Mail Monitor and Mintel Comperemedia.
...cross-selling, analysts say, was necessary to keep rivals from luring card customers away with their own offers. "The deeper the relationship runs, the less likely the consumer will go to another bank," says Lisa Hronek, senior analyst at Mintel Comperemedia, which tracks direct mail and print advertising.
USA Today, June 18, 2008
...In the first quarter of 2008, Mintel Comperemedia reports that the average rate on fixed rate mortgage offers sent through direct mail declined nearly a full percentage point (0.92%) from Q4 2007...
Forbes.com, June 17, 2008
...In the first quarter of 2008, Mintel Comperemedia reports that the average rate on fixed rate mortgage offers sent through direct mail declined nearly a full percentage point (0.92%) from Q4 2007...
Direct Marketing Association (DMA), June 17, 2008
Chris Zagorski, senior market analyst at Mintel International, Chicago, which tracks direct mail among other functions, said he has seen an uptick in direct mail credit report offers in the past six months. Although he said the raw data could not reveal a cause, he speculated it would continue. "Clearly consumers are becoming more savvy about how their credit score affects their purchasing power," he said.
Adweek, June 16, 2008
The insurance industry still has its work cut out for it in educating the public about long term care insurance, a market research firm suggests. Fewer than 60% of U.S. adults are familiar with LTC insurance, according to analysts in the Chicago-based U.S. branch of Mintel International Group Ltd., London.
National Underwriter, June 10, 2008
According to a new report from Mintel, nearly three-quarters of Americans said they do not have long-term care insurance, and less than 60% of them are even familiar with the insurance offered. Furthermore, nearly one in five says they don't know why they haven't purchased coverage or say that they don't know anything about it.
"I don't think people understand what's involved with it. Or they don't think they'll need it, or that it will be covered by Medicare or Medicaid," Susan Menke, senior financial services analyst at Chicago-based Mintel, tells Marketing Daily. "A lot of people think they're not going to need it. ... Denial is a very powerful human survival strategy."
MediaPost Marketing Daily, June 10, 2008
No one likes to think about relying on long-term care. But the reality is that any person could fall victim to a disability or need chronic care because of aging. New research from Mintel suggests that many Americans are not prepared for these possibilities.
Forbes.com, June 9, 2008
Overall, direct mailings from financial services companies (including banking, credit card, investment and mortgage and loan companies) are down about 10% over the first quarter of 2008, compared with the fourth quarter of 2007, according to Mintel Comperemedia. The firm estimated the total volume of financial services direct mail to be 4.2 billion for the quarter, down 13% from the same period as last year.
MediaPost Marketing Daily, June 2, 2008
Faced with a slumping economy, the nation's financial service companies have sharply cut back their direct mail so far this year. Such unsolicited mailings from banking, credit card, investment and mortgage loan companies fell 12.7 percent in the first quarter of 2008 compared to the same period a year ago, according to research complied by Chicago-based Mintel Comperemedia.
CNBC, June 2, 2008
With the economy shaken and Americans uncertain about their finances, leading financial services companies are cutting back on direct mail. Mintel Comperemedia reports that in the first quarter of 2008, the estimated number of direct mailings sent from banking, credit card, investment, and mortgage and loan companies fell 10 percent.
Direct Marketing Association, May 27, 2008
There's a niche opportunity there for those that want it," Susan Menke, senior financial services analyst at Mintel, tells Marketing Daily. "They don't have the asset accumulation now, but in 10 to 20 years, they'll be making as much as Baby Boomers are now."
According to Mintel research, members of Generation Y--defined as people born between 1977 and 1994--make up only about 5% of financial advisors' client base. And though those twenty-somethings may not have copious amounts of disposable income, they do have financial goals they'd like to achieve, Menke says.
MediaPost Marketing Daily, May 19, 2008
Despite warnings about future shortfalls in retirement savings, many young adults choose not to save for retirement. More than two-thirds (69%) of Generation Y workers who can participate in a tax-deferred 401(k) retirement savings plan are not doing so, according to results of a study from Mintel. In the study, Mintel considered Generation Y to mean those born between 1977 and 1994 (aged 14 to 31). Generation Y comprises 21% of the U.S. population
Plan Advisor, May 15, 2008
Mintel, a media research company, says that the majority of people under 31 are not using their retirement plans.
KARE 11 News, May 15, 2008
Direct mail offers sent to current customers increased 17% in 2007 with increases in auto, insurance, telecom and credit card mailers up by 52%, 29%, 22% and 18%, respectively. However, over the same period of time, travel and leisure companies sent 40% of 2007 emails to current customers, while banking and credit card sectors were responsible for another 40%.
CardWeb, May 5, 2008
According to Mintel Comperemedia, e-mail is not about to eclipse direct mail for US marketers. In fact, the number of direct mail offers sent out to US customers increased by 17% in 2007...
eMarketer, April 30, 2008
As many consumers begin to grub for extra pennies in the face of a teetering U.S. economy, companies have kept up the ante on cash-back rewards cards in recent months. They mailed out 1.118 billion such offers in 2007, up from 1.086 billion during the previous year, according to the market research firm Mintel Comperemedia. This took place even as direct mailings in general declined.
"They're trying to stand out compared to the competition," says Christopher Zagorski, a senior analyst at Mintel. He adds that companies also want to encourage you to use your card for everyday purchases, as opposed to only on a big weekend spree or a plane ticket.
TheStreet.com, April 30, 2008
There was a 17% increase in mailings by businesses to current customers last year vs. 2006, according to Mintel Comperemedia. Companies with more mailings included: autos (up 52%), insurance (29%), telecom (22%), and credit cards (18%). The only decline: Mortgage and loan company mailings fell 3% amid the real estate slump. With postage rates rising and people spending more online, Mintel expects marketers to use less paper and more e-mail.
USA Today, April 28, 2008
The volume of direct mail credit card solicitations continues to decline steadily, according to Mintel International Group Ltd. The company said Monday that mail volume in February declined 6% from January and 24% from October, to 689 million pieces. Mintel said on April 3 that January's volume fell by 3% from December and 19% from October. Volume has fallen consistently since October...
American Banker, April 15, 2008
Since last November, credit card companies have slashed the amount of direct mail they send out, according to figures released by Mintel, a market research firm. Mintel found that fewer pieces had gone out in February, the last month for which figures were available, than in any month since April 2004. Mintel extrapolated the figures from a panel of 9,700 households, recruited afresh every month.
There is day-to-day news that we're bordering on recession, said Lisa Hronek, an analyst at Mintel. "They may be scaling back in response to their target audience just not being there any more, or not as willing to take on new debt."
New York Times, April 14, 2008
In the fourth quarter, lenders send more direct mail offers for unsecured loan and credit line products than for secured loan and line products, according to a study by market researcher Mintel Comperemedia.
DIRECT, April 11, 2008
The estimated amount of direct mail sent by credit card companies in the United States dropped 3% from December 2007 to January 2008, according to research from Mintel Comperemedia, a media monitoring service...
"There have been a few peaks and valleys in 2007, but we observed consistent monthly declines starting in October 2007," said Lisa Hronek, a senior research analyst for Mintel Comperemedia, when reached by e-mail. "Overall, mailings observed during 2006 were higher than 2007."
DM News, April 3, 2008
According to the [Mintel Comperemedia], 86% of direct mail savings account offers from banks offered rates between 4% and 5% (at least when it came to mailings with advertised rates), compared with 60% of such offers in 2006. Comparatively, an additional 10% promoted rates above 5%. In 2004, 99% of direct mail offers promoted rates of 3% or less, and in 2005, 67% were 3% or below.
The rise in rates can be attributed to more competition among banks to secure new customers, says Farah Huq, market research manager at Comperemedia. "It's the new vehicle to lure customers in," Huq tells Marketing Daily. "[They think], hopefully, by getting customers in the bank, they can later sell them a mortgage or some other product."
MediaPost Marketing Daily, March 20, 2008
Mintel Comperemedia reports that in 2007, 86 percent of direct mail savings account offers* advertised rates between 4.01 and 5 percent. Even more, 10 percent of mailings* promoted rates above 5 percent.
DMA Insider, March 14, 2008
Lisa Hronek, a senior credit card analyst at Mintel International Group Ltd., said live check direct-mail solicitations are "a way to really entice that quick response for consumers, but on these pieces they do lay out terms and conditions on the back." Financial institutions are "really trying to avoid that scrutiny by putting all the details out there."
American Banker, March 14, 2008
Wondering what to do with your tax return check? You might want to look back in your mailbox. Mintel Comperemedia reports that in 2007, 86% of direct mail savings account offers* advertised rates between 4.01 and 5%. Even more, 10% of mailings* promoted rates above 5%.
Earthtimes, March 14, 2008
Chicago-based Mintel Comperemedia, which analyzes direct mail, e-mail and print advertising trends, reports a drying up in the deluge of junk mail begging consumers to apply for various loan products. Lenders in 2007 sent about 2.6 billion pieces of direct mail such as solicitations to apply for various loan products, down nearly one third from the 3.7 billion pieces they sent in 2006, according to Mintel.
Crain's Detroit Business, February 25, 2008
And Mintel Comperemedia brings in a more nuanced point that the annual decrease in credit card solicitations to non-customers from 2006 to 2007 is 11%, but loyalty-based offers sent to current customers actually increased by 16%.
Direct Marketing News, February 22, 2008
A new report found that the number of credit card direct mailings sent to non-customers dropped 11% while credit card offers sent only to current customers increased 16% last year. Mintel Comperemedia says that in 2005, 56% of credit card offers sent to current cardholders advertised balance transfers or convenience checks. By 2007, however, these types of offers lost out to direct mail pieces promoting non-card products, such as bonus points or rewards. In 2007, 57% of direct mail sent to current customers advertised such non-card products.
CardTrak.com, February 19, 2008
Credit card companies are increasing their mailings in order to improve relationships with existing customers, according to a report from Mintel Comperemedia. The number of credit card direct mailings to existing customers increased 16 percent between 2006 and 2007, the study found (via Direct Magazine). During that same time, the number of credit card direct mailings sent to prospects slipped 11 percent.
Media Buyer Planner, February 18, 2008
Finally, a Mintel Comperemedia report says the volume of lenders' direct-mail offerings for mortgages fell 34 percent last year vs. the previous year. There was also a 21 percent decline in mailings for home-equity loans and lines of credit.
Adweek, February 18, 2008
Credit card marketers have begun using direct mail more to connect with current cardholders than to prospect for new ones, according to a report from Mintel Comperemedia. The number of credit card direct mailings sent to prospects dropped by 11% between 2006 and 2007. But loyalty mailings sent only to existing customers increased 16% during that time, according to Mintel.
DIRECT, February 16, 2008
Credit card firms seem to believe it's easier to keep customers than attract new ones. Mintel Comperemedia, which analyzes direct mail, e-mail and print advertising trends, said the number of credit card direct mailings sent to non-customers dropped 11 percent from 2006 to 2007. But credit card offers sent only to current customers rose 16 percent.
Chicago Tribune, February 15, 2008
Credit card issuers are changing their tune. Instead of using direct mail just to lure in new customers -- as has been done in the past -- they have begun using it more to connect with current cardholders. Mintel Comperemedia reports that the number of credit card direct mailings sent to non-customers dropped 11 percent from 2006 to 2007. However, "loyalty" credit card offers, sent only to current customers, increased 16 percent during that time.
Direct Marketing Association, February 15, 2008
Mail volume for mortgage and home equity loans declined 30% in 2007, compared to the previous year, according to the media monitoring service Mintel Comperemedia. Lenders mailed approximately 2.6 billion direct mail pieces last year, down from 3.7 billion pieces in 2006.
DIRECT Magazine, February 13, 2008
This comes as issuers are doing fewer direct-mail solicitations to new customers. The number of such mailings fell about 16% to about 650 million at the end of November from about 778 million in January 2007, estimates Mintel Comperemedia, a market-research firm. Instead, several banks are more aggressively pitching cards to their existing customers.
Wall Street Journal, February 5, 2008
The Hispanic population is more likely to accept e-mail marketing than consumers in other demographic groups. That's the finding from research by Chicago-based Mintel Comperemedia, which reports Hispanics welcome e-mail from companies they know up to 11 times a month. Non-Hispanic consumers will only tolerate that type of e-mail about seven times a month.
New York Daily News, January 29, 2008
Hispanics are more likely to open an e-mail marketing message than other consumers, according to a new survey by Mintel Comperemedia. Surveying adults about their attitudes towards e-mail, Mintel Comperemedia found that Hispanics will open e-mail from companies they know up to 11 times a month, while non-Hispanic consumers will only open these e-mails 7.4 times a month.
DM News, January 2, 2008
Credit-card companies are generous when it comes to balance-transfer offers. Nearly a third (32%) of all solicitations mailed out to existing or new card members last year contained a low-rate balance-transfer offer, according to Comperemedia, a subsidiary of market research company Mintel, which monitors direct-mail solicitations nationwide. (An additional 41% threw in a promotional low rate on purchases.) More than 80% of the promotional balance-transfer rates were at 0%, and about 5% of them were at 2.99% APR or lower.
WGCL-TV Channel 46 (Atlanta, GA), December 27, 2007
But according to a July report from Mintel Comperemedia, most major issuers are hesitant to use e-mail to target consumers because they are "fearful of being spammed out of existence."
"Credit card companies are still testing the waters with e-mail," said Carmen Curran, a senior analyst at Mintel. "They don't want to flood potential customers' inboxes with offers that could he immediately flagged as spam. They fear if they do, Internet service providers will block their e-mails in the future."
American Banker, December 18, 2007
According to Mintel Comperemedia research, the number of mortgage direct mail offers declined 62% in the third quarter compared to the same period last year. Also, during the same time frame, 22% of all offers were for adjustable-rate mortgages - the ones being addressed by Bush's plan - while last year at this time 56% of offers were for this type of loan.
Direct Marketing News, December 11, 2007
According to Mintel Comperemedia, majority of the mortgage companies are in a process of diverting their attention towards limited future risk opportunity owing to the recently knocked housing crisis due to crumpling effects in subprime lending. Mintel Comperemedia recorded a downfall of 70% in floating rate mortgages that direct mail promoted. On the other hand, an increase of 6% in the fixed rate mortgages is quite substantial. This phenomenal shift happened within a short span from June 2006 to July 2007.
Investors are now seeking recourse to safer and more reliable alternatives. They are shifting to choose the fixed rate mortgage instead of a floating rate mortgage. Fixed rate option gives them a relaxed feeling. Monthly payment mode reduces the overall risk of defaulting. This situation is beneficial to both the customer and lender equally. "The subprime fallout created a ripple effect", says Lisa Hronek, Senior Financial Analyst for Mintel Comperemedia.
Associated Content, September 6, 2007
These are tough times in the mortgage biz, and mortgage companies are responding - by changing those copious sales pitches the postman brings.
Lisa Hronek, a senior financial analyst with Mintel Comperemedia in Chicago, tracks direct mail solicitations. Here's her take on marketing amid the mortgage meltdown.
Q. How have mortgage mailings changed amid a credit crunch?
A. Mortgage direct mail offers have shifted to favor fixed-rate mortgages rather than adjustable-rate mortgage loans. Both lenders and consumers may be wary of variable-rate loans as incidences of defaults rise and price points increase. Fixed-rate mortgages offer a safer, more reliable option for both lenders and consumers.
Q. Do you expect lenders to fall back on old marketing tactics once the crisis boils over?
A. I do not expect mortgage marketers to return to their previous tactics of luring consumers in with risky, yet appealing ARM offers. Lenders are trying to prove their stability and security to reassure consumers that their loans are safe, profitable and basically, a good idea. Once they set that powerful message in people's minds, it would be unwise to undo it, even in a more stable market.
Q. On Sept. 11, the Federal Trade Commission warned mortgage brokers and lenders that some advertising claims may violate federal law. For example, some ads touted rates as low as "1%" but failed to disclose adequately that the stated rate was a "payment rate" - not the true interest rate - that applied only during the loan's initial period. What reaction have you observed among mortgage advertisers?
A. We collect direct mail ourselves and process it into our searchable database, but because of the manual labor required in doing so, we are never right on date with the mail. Currently, we have only processed mail through August 2007, so Mintel has not even examined any offers from September 2007 yet.
However, from what I've observed, the majority of direct mail mortgage offers will disclose both an APR and an interest rate, not just a "payment rate." Direct mail offers tend to be more verbose, informative and inclusive than TV or print advertising.
Q. Do you expect the FTC's warning to lead to changes?
A. The FTC's warning may lead to more standardized disclosures among direct mail offers.
Q. Any other thoughts?
A. The fine print of mortgage direct mail is very complex. I think the average consumer has a hard time understanding that. It's possible the FTC could become more involved. We might see something similar to credit cards. They have a Schumer Box on the back of credit card offers. It will specifically state the introductory rate, how long it's valid, regular pricing fees, and sometimes credit limits. And if the current sentiment and wariness of mortgage offers continue, I don't think it's far fetched for lenders to include a better map of the offer on the back of each direct mail piece.
Orange County Register, October 20, 2007
According to a 2006 study by Mintel Comperemedia, Bank of America was one of the top five direct mailers among financial institutions. It sent 920 million pieces of mail in 2006. Chase Bank led the pack. Also in the top five were Capital One Bank (1.2 billion), American Express (1 billion), and Citibank (980 million). The study found that direct mail volumes from financial institutions, specifically in relation to credit cards, has seen an increase in recent years.
DM News, October 8, 2007
00:18:47 TZ; Mortgage: FTC warns mortgage companies about deceptive mortgage marketing practices. Slow-down in home sales and subprime mortgage market mess are affecting the sector. SI; Jenny Roock, Analyst at Mintel, says we're seeing ARM offers decline. GR; Mortgage Marketing; numbers courtesy Mintel . Fixed Rate Mortgage options are being seen more and more. GR; Mortgage Direct Mail, numbers courtesy Mintel , showing ARM users being targeted by lenders... 00:22:17
First Business News, September 13, 2007
And now, according to reports from credit market monitoring companies, all kinds of other credit vehicles are being affected. RK Hammer a bank card advisory firm says that new card approval rates have dropped by five percentage points in the past year. Just a bit more than a third of card applications get approved. Credit lines for customers with lower credit scores have dropped as well. The average card has a line of just 1-thousand dollars these days, down from 12 thousand dollars last year.
Card issuers are even cutting back on waves of mailed new credit card offers. Mintel International says six-percent fewer direct-mail credit card applications are being sent these days. Experts say consumers shouldn't be surprised to see their existing credit lines trimmed or interest rate hikes in the coming months.
ABC 6 News, September 10, 2007
Carmen Curran, a senior e-mail marketing analyst at Mintel International Group Ltd., said the conversion rate for credit card e-mail offers hovers at around 1%, the same rate as for e-mail offers for all merchandise. The rate is significantly higher than direct mail, which is below 0.5%.
"E-mail seems to be more successful than direct mail, because it's more targeted and segmented, and banks can capitalize on the relationship and information that they have on the consumer," Ms. Curran said.
Ms. Curran said that in the first quarter, paper mail solicitations sent by banks' merchant partners fell 36% from a year earlier, to 73 million. In the first quarter of last year they fell 34% from a year earlier, to 113 million.
The steady decline is evidence that issuers are increasingly targeting the electronic in-box when sending their marketing message through merchants, she said.
The issuers that have cut merchant-mailed paper offers the most are Citigroup Inc., JPMorgan Chase, Discover Financial Services LLC, Bank of America Corp., and American Express Co., according to Mintel. However, Ms. Curran said the volume of mass direct mail offers from issuers has remained fairly steady overall at 1.8 million in the first quarter, 1.9 million a year earlier, and 1.7 million in the first quarter of 2005.
American Banker, July 25, 2007
For the nearly 60 percent of consumers who carry a balance on their credit cards each month and pay interest on it, rewards can be particularly costly, because they can encourage even more debt. "Anything that will make them feel less guilty about using their card is going to increase spending...It would definitely be cheaper for them to get [the rewards] on their own," says Susan Menke, senior financial services analyst at the research firm Mintel.
Even cash-back programs, which typically return between 1 and 5 percent of card spending, can be deceptive. "If you're [paying] a huge amount in interest but getting pennies in savings, people love that stuff, but they're definitely not coming out ahead," Menke says.
US News and World Report, June 26, 2007
The study, conducted in October by the Chicago market research firm Mintel International Group Ltd., found that a considerably bigger portion of Hispanics open direct-mail offers than American consumers as a whole. While 58% of the general population discards the offers without even looking at the letters, 51% of Hispanics open the envelopes, according to Mintel.
"I was surprised by how high it is," said Susan Menke, an analyst at Mintel who researches financial services. "Just because they open it, it doesn't mean they'll respond to it, but at least it's significant that they look at it."
Mintel's research found that 34% of whites and 36% of blacks open direct credit card solicitations. In each of these groups, the majority discards the mail. Overall, only 36% of American consumers open the envelopes. The message on the envelope usually is the determining factor, Ms. Menke said. Consumers are more enticed by teaser offers on the envelopes than preapproval messages, she said.
American Banker, March 13, 2007
In 2006, credit card and insurance acquisition mail volumes showed substantial growth over 2005 numbers, according to a report released by Mintel Comperemedia.
The competitive intelligence service that analyzes direct mail, e-mail marketing and print media monthly said the clear gains in mail volumes during the past year are due to an increase in campaign launch activity. Mintel tracks the direct marketing activity of more than 150 credit card companies.
"Emerging campaigns have been the key drivers in the overall mail volume increases," said Jenny Roock, director of Mintel, Chicago. "As companies continue to look for new ways to attract consumers to their products and services, several of the newer campaigns over the last year have focused on tailoring their cards to specific consumers with unique needs."
DM News, March 13, 2007
ETFs are being used in a wider variety of products, from 401 (k)s to variable annuities to 529 college savings plans, according to a recent ETF report by Chicago-based marketing and research firm Mintel.
ETFs have a limited distribution and are sold almost exclusively through broker/dealers, registered investment advisers and wirehouses, Mintel noted. As a result, ETFs are still misunderstood by the general public, said Susan Menke, senior financial analyst at Mintel.
Money Management Executive, March 12, 2007
Billions of pieces of mail inundating our mailboxes. Response rates of less than 1%. And yet credit card companies continue to be the single largest industry soliciting new customers through the mail.
In 2006, the average American household received 80 credit card solicitations, according to year-to-year results compiled by Mintel Comperemedia of Chicago.
"New [marketing] campaigns have been the key drivers in the overall mail volume increases," says Jenny Roock, director of Mintel Comperemedia. "As companies continue to look for new ways to attract consumers to their products and services, several of the newer campaigns over the last year have focused on tailoring their cards to specific consumers with unique needs."
MediaPost Magazine, March 5, 2007
Credit card and insurance acquisition mail volumes last year grew substantially over 2005 numbers, thanks largely to increased campaigns, according to Mintel Comperemedia.
Specifically, more than 9.2 billion acquisition direct mail pieces were sent to American consumers in 2006. Chase was the top mailer for the year, sending out more than 1.7 billion acquisition mail pieces, although this number was 4% below 2005 levels. Rounding out the top five for 2006 were Capital One Bank, American Express, Citibank, and Bank of America. Capital One posted at 13% gain over 2005 in their direct mail activity, the biggest gain of the top five.
Direct Magazine, March 2, 2007
Issuers last year mailed more than 9.2 billion credit card solicitations, up 6% from 8.7 billion in 2005, according to research firm Mintel International Group. Mintel, whose U.S. operations are based in Chicago, says JPMorgan Chase & Co. repeated as the top mailer in 2006 with 1.7 billion solicitations, though it distributed 4% fewer mailings than the previous year. Jenny Roock, Mintel director, says Chase changed marketing strategies last year, resulting in fewer direct mailings and more efforts to attract cardholders using Web, e-mail and branch promotions.
Also, 64% of the mailings Chase sent last year included a reward component compared with 40% that did in 2005, and the added cost to fund rewards programs likely caused Chase to shift its marketing dollars to less-expensive solicitation alternatives, she says. "What you¹re seeing with Chase eventually will
happen with the market overall," Roock says. "Another expected postage-rate increase and a shift in more online marketing will affect [mailings] as well." Rounding out the top five mailers of credit card solicitations last year were Capital One Bank, 1.3 billion, up 13.1%; American Express Co., 1.1 billion, up 0.3%; Citibank, 987.8 million, down 2.6%; and Bank of America, 920.9 million, down 17.6%, Mintel says.
Cardline, March 2, 2007
But the problem is that most sponsors won't offer ETFs until they begin feeling pressure from participants, said Susan Menke, a senior financial analyst with Chicago-based financial marketing and research firm Mintel.
"And most people don't know what the heck they are," she said. The majority of ETF inflows, she added, are coming from institutional, not retail, investors.
As of December 2005, only 19% of retail investors understood enough about ETFs to even consider in investing in them in the future, according to Mintel research.
As news of ETFs trickle into the mainstream media, that awareness is rising, but Menke still does not see a groundswell of pent-up demand. After all, she said, 35% of mutual fund owners gold Mintel they had no idea which funds they owned.
Money Management Executive, February 19, 2007
U.S. consumers have been barraged by marketing messages on contactless cards for a year and a half. Research firm Mintel commissioned an online survey of 2,000 U.S. adults in October by Greenfield Online that shows 53% are willing to try paying with a tap of a card. Many younger people are attracted to contactless, and- good news for issuers-so are 58% of those in the highest income bracket, over $100,000.
Card Technology, January 2007
According to Mintel Comperemedia, a competitive intelligence service that analyzes direct mail and print media, several debit card issuers are promoting rewards programs and sweepstakes. Among these, Visa Extras is one of the most visible. The program is structured to encourage people to use their debit cards for everyday purchases to earn points.
Other issuers are offering extra incentives and points for holiday purchases to further stimulate consumer use.
Vending Times, January 2007
The Mintel Comperemedia service from Chicago research firm Mintel, which analyzes direct mail and print media, now includes a new service that allows marketers to monitor e-mail. Mintel Comperemedia's e-mail panel will give companies insight into their competitors' acquisition and customer relationship management strategies.
The new e-mail panel allows companies to monitor their competitors within Mintel Comperemedia's key coverage areas: credit card, banking, investment, telecom, insurance, technology, travel, mortgage and loan. Clients will be able to view, search and analyze the actual e-mails that consumers receive from companies. In addition to tracking e-mail strategy for competitors, companies can also use the panel to track campaign timing and frequency. For more information visit www.comperemedia.com.
Quirk's Marketing Research Review, January 2007
Recent reports from Chicago researcher Mintel indicate that there are both challenges and opportunities remaining for the annuities industry. Less than half (48 percent) of all respondents to a Mintel consumer survey conducted this year were familiar with annuities, and only 46 percent of those were 65 and over.
Quirk's Marketing Research Review, December 2006
Of 1,525 consumers polled recently who own or have used a debit card, 24% said they always or almost always use the plastic for purchases between $2 and $10, while 10% said they always or almost always use it for purchases below $1, according to a new research report from Mintel Comperemedia. "Micropayments is a hot topic right now," Susan Menke, the Chicago-based research company's senior financial analyst, tells CardLine. "Card companies want you to use your card more often. They want you to use your card for smaller purchases, and they want to make people feel more comfortable with that." Rewards programs are one way issuers are encouraging more card use, the report notes. Of those respondents who owned or used a debit card, 24% said they were in some type of rewards program, and 58% said they felt debit card rewards are valuable. In fact, 42% of respondents said they would switch banks to get debit card rewards, the survey found. Of the respondents in rewards programs, 9% received cash-back benefits and 5% received airline miles, according to the report.
CardLine, December 18, 2006
However, Drew Schultz, a research analyst in Chicago with the marketing research firm Mintel International, said the low prices have inspired insurance companies to roll out some new products to counter the trend. (The AMA offers discounted life insurance policies to its members, as do many medical societies.)
For example, he said return of premium term life insurance, which emerged a few years ago, allows the insurance company to charge more in exchange for returning the full premium amount back to the policyholder when the term expires.
AM News (American Medical Association), October 9, 2006
Consumers received nearly 4.2 billion direct mail credit card acquisition letters from card issuers in the first half of the year, up 6% from the same period in 2005, according to Mintel Comperemedia. JPMorgan Chase easily topped the list of mailers, sending out 904.2 million letters, though that was down 7% from 970 million a year ago. The runner-up was Capital One with 529.6 million letters, followed by American Express Co. with 510.9 million, reports Mintel, a supplier of consumer intelligence with U.S. headquarters in Chicago. Jenny Roock, Comperemedia research director, said in a statement that card issuers targeted homeowners with their acquisition letters. "This can be attributed to the fact that more homeowners are now using credit cards as extended lines of home credit, as opposed to applying for home equity lines of credit," notes Roock. AmEx mailings rose 20%, while Discover sent out 283.2 million letters, a 22% rise. Bank of America saw a decline of 43% year-to-year as it shifted its card mailings to card unit MBNA. Juniper Bank, now known as Barclays Bank Delaware, increased its mailings 76% to 78.3 million letters.
CardLine, September 8, 2006
SMA (separately managed account) assets are projected to increase from $700 billion today to $1 trillion by 2010, according to Chicago market research firm Mintel, which recently issued a report on SMAs based on interviews with 300 SMA investors.
New players in the field want to offer a greater range of investment products to their clients, according to Mintel. SMAs have a number of attractive selling points and have been significant in helping market participants gather assets, especially from high-net-worth clients.
Money Management Executive, August 21, 2006
But a recent survey shows consumers are open to the idea of using plastic at vending machines. Nearly a third of respondents agreed with the statement, "I would use vending machines more if I could pay with a debit or credit card," according to an 80-page vending industry study released in December by market research firm Mintel International Group Ltd.
Chicago Tribune, August 18, 2006
"The wave of Baby Boomers rolling over their 401(k) assets has not even begun yet, but firms are preparing," said Susan Menke, senior financial services editor with Chicago-based Mintel International, a supplier of consumer, media and market research.
Many products will be developed that help investors make their retirement money last throughout the rest of their life. "Insurance companies are tweaking annuities, and [investors] are going to have many more options," Menke said.
Money Management Executive, August 14, 2006
In fact, internet-based phone services, or VoIP (voice over internet protocol), sent out 77 million direct mailings in the first five months of this year, according to a study released last week by Chicago-based research firm Mintel Comperemedia.
That is already more than the 60 million direct mail pieces sent out by VoIP services in full-year 2005.
Mintel estimates that VoIP penetration will grow from 3 percent to 20 percent by the end of this decade. VoIP is not expected to surpass traditional landline phone services in the foreseeable future, in terms of penetration.
Media Economy, August 8, 2006
Another popular choice for whittling down debt is to transfer your balance to a zero-percent card and pay it off quickly. But that option, too, may soon be history- zero-percent balance-transfer (introductory only) offers are harder to find. They fell 36 percent in 2005 from the previous year, according to direct-mail tracker Mintel Comperemedia.
SmartMoney Magazine, June 2006
More travel-related direct mail campaigns and advertisements that target the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Gay and Lesbian Travel Market are predicted to surface, according to Mintel Comperemedia, a competitive intelligence service that analyzes direct mail and print media.
According to the Chicago-based company, the GLBT market is growing, with more than $76.5 billion in expenditures. It is also a booming travel market, predicted to increase by more than $20 billion over the next five years.
Mintel said it has seen several DM-related campaigns emerge lately that focus on GLBT travel outings, such as the ROmanCE Voyages, a cruise line that works with American Express Travel Services representatives.
DM News, May 17, 2006
Despite a barrage of recent negative press, homeowners remain optimistic about housing prices over both the short term and the long term, according to new proprietary research from Mintel International Group, Chicago.
According to the Mintel survey, many homeowners are still planning to refinance their homes to lock in lower interest rates, as well as for a number of other reasons, which could portend continued optimism on origination volumes. "Although the impact of rising rates cannot be ignored, there are a number of other factors that will help to insure the health of the mortgage marketplace, particularly over the long term," the report said.
Interest rates are not the only factor driving housing prices and origination volumes, the survey found. Demographic changes, greater efficiencies in business processes and securitization facilitated by automation and innovations in the capital markets leading to lower risk in the marketplace are among trends that should significantly impact the mortgage market in the coming years, Mintel said.
MBA Newslink, May 16, 2006
Adds Susan Menke, Chicago-based senior financial services editor at researcher Mintel International Group Ltd., "Mutual fund companies have been losing share to wirehouses and banks. It is fairly significant, and it is something that is concerning them."
So, some of the big competitors are introducing programs aimed at providing that personalized service. "[For instance,] Fidelity and Vanguard have a new push to provide advisory services," Menke says. "This is a new thing for Vanguard. They have had a do-it-yourself focus in the past."
PLANSPONSOR Magazine, April 2006
ISSUERS SENT 8% MORE OFFERS IN JANUARY, FEBRUARY: Credit card issuers mailed 1.311 billion acquisition letters in January and February, topping the same period in 2005 by 8%, according to Mintel Comperemedia. The top 10 mailers accounted for 89% of the acquisition letters in the two-month period. JPMorgan Chase Co. led the group with 257 million letters in January and February, up 6% from the same period in 2005. The biggest gainer was MBNA Corp., sending out 95.7 million letters in January and February, up 73% from the same period in 2005. Bank of America Corp. bought MBNA last year. BofA's mailings dropped 1% to 59.9 million letters. Washington Mutual also increased its mailings, generating a 48% rise to 92.8 million in 2006. WaMu bought credit card issuer Providian Financial Corp. last year. Cap One reduced its mailings by 24%, putting it behind American Express in this year's early going. Citibank decreased its mailings by 20% to 141.2 million.
For full year 2005, issuers mailed 8.177 billion acquisition letters, with the 10 largest mailers accounting for 7.587 billion, or nearly 93%, of all letters mailed, Mintel found.
Cardline, April 11, 2006
In other news, the market research firm Mintel International Group Ltd. of Chicago said Thursday that in the fourth quarter American Express passed JPMorgan Chase & Co. as the card industry's leading direct mailer.
Mintel said one reason for the volume increase at Amex was its new issuing partnership with Citigroup Inc., and it said a good chunk of its mailings promoted new Amex products, including the IN:LA, IN:Chicago, and One cards.
American Banker, April 7, 2006
In some cases, cards now offer 0% teaser rates good for a year or longer. For instance, AmEx and J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. are offering 0% rates on balances for up to 15 months and 12 months, respectively. By contrast, in the first quarter of 2005, many card issuers offered introductory rates ranging from 3% to 5.99% for a period of six to eight months, says Jenny Roock, research manager of Mintel International Group Ltd.'s Mintel Comperemedia unit, a direct-mail monitoring service.
Wall Street Journal, March 25, 2006
As mortgage rates have increased over the last year, lenders have acknowledged that homeowners are less interested in refinancing their mortgage. According to Mintel Comperemedia, the volume of mail advertising mortgage refinancing peaked in August, alth
Investor's Business Daily, February 3, 2006
More than 1,000 direct mail campaigns from insurance companies regarding healthcare marketing were sent to their independent agents or brokers between September 2004 and September 2005, according to data released yesterday from Mintel International Group's Comperemedia, a Chicago-based media monitoring system.
That number is up from 500-plus such mailings sent from insurance companies to their agents/brokers from September 2003 to September 2004.
DM News, November 11, 2005
About 50 percent of the U.S. Hispanic population is unbanked, according to marketing research firm Mintel. Citigroup offers services specifically for this market, which is helping the bank increase and retain its Hispanic customer base, according to the research firm.
CRM Magazine, November 2005
An estimated 60 percent of credit cards are tied to some kind of reward, according to Comperemedia, which tracks direct-mail offerings.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, October 6, 2005
In 2004, roughly 3.8 billion direct-mail pitches contained offers for reward programs such as cash back, points for merchandise, frequent-flier miles, and other freebies, according to Comperemedia, which tracks direct-mail offerings. That figure is up about 35 percent from almost 2.8 billion just a year ago. Why the sudden jump? "Issuers are trying to figure out how to hook a new customer or maintain an existing customer," says Lisa Hronek, a research analyst with Comperemedia. Already, more than 60 percent of all general-purpose accounts include rewards programs.
U.S. News & World Report, August 8, 2005
Mail volumes increased significantly in the financial cross-selling category from January 2004 through the first quarter of 2005, according to data released last week by Comperemedia. "Financial companies understand that existing clients are just as powerful, if not more, than new clients," said Carrie Merritt, director of financial research at Comperemedia. Merritt also said better incentives and service bundling will pave the way to more successful cross-selling programs.
DM News, July 25, 2005
Last year, just over half of the 7.5 billion new-card solicitations sent out involved some sort of rewards offer, up from 44 percent in 2003, according to Comperemedia, a mail-tracking service.
Washington Post, July 10, 2005
For the three months ended Feb. 29, 53% of all direct-mail pitches were for cards that earn cash refunds, travel, or other rewards. That's up from 30% in the same period two years ago, according to Mintel's Comperemedia, a tracker of such offers.
The Wall Street Journal, April 20, 2004
With the amount of junk mail clogging Americans' mailboxes these days, credit card marketers need to add extra enticement in order to avoid the dreaded shredder. And the majority are, according to Mintel's Comperemedia.
Brandweek, April 19, 2004
According to Mintel's Comperemedia, a media monitoring system, consumer credit card offers dropped 17% in 2003, meaning almost 750 million fewer offers than in 2002.
Marketing Management, March/April 2004
Telecom companies have boosted their marketing of bundled service packages through direct mail campaigns, according to Mintel International Group's Comperemedia, a Chicago-based media monitoring system.
DM News, March 10, 2004
Mintel's Comperemedia says that during November, the amount of time the introductory rate was applicable decreased compared to previous months and is more likely to be for six to seven months, compared to 12+ months as seen earlier in the year.
CardTrack, January 29, 2004
Consumers received 750 million fewer credit card offers in 2003, a 17 percent decline from 2002, according to data released last week from Mintel International Group's Comperemedia, a Chicago-based media monitoring system.
DM News, January 26, 2004
Mintel Comperemedia provides competitive intelligence for businesses looking to advance and improve their direct marketing strategy. Tracking direct marketing (including mail, email and print advertising) targeted at consumers, small businesses and insurance agents, Mintel Comperemedia offers a unique perspective on everything from banking trends to insurance trends to credit card statistics. For more than 38 years, Mintel has provided insight into key worldwide trends, leading the industry for consumer, product and media intelligence.
Joanna Peot
Public Relations Executive
312-628-7946
jpeot@mintel.com